Falling for You
by smartiegirl800
Summary: Alexei Volkov thought it'd be another ordinary summer hanging out with his friends until Grace Blakely returns to Adria and effectively turns Alexei's world upside down. Will Alexei be able to please everyone in his life and protect those he cares most about? Or will he succumb to the dark secrets of those around him? This is All Fall Down in Alexei's POV.
1. Chapter 1 - School's Out for Summer

**Welcome to my first fanfic! I really love the Embassy Row series by Ally Carter and thought I would write it in Alexei's POV. I've always wondered what Alexei was thinking and wanted to get inside his head. I've been working on this for a little more than a year and can't wait to share it with all of you! I hope you enjoy it!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter One: School's Out for Summer

Fifteen minutes. Fifteen minutes until I would hand in my last exam and finally be done with school for the year. All around me, there were students frantically erasing and rewriting, trying their hardest to squeeze out every little half mark.

I looked back down at my exam paper, to check it over one last time before I handed it in. _What happens to a system at equilibrium when its temperature is increased?_ It moves towards the endothermic direction. _Why does H_ _2_ _O have a higher boiling point than H_ _2_ _S?_ H2O can hydrogen bond whereas H2S cannot. _What happens to a solution as its pH is increased from four to six?_ It becomes one hundred times more basic. Confident with my answers for the multiple choice and fill-in-the-blank sections, I moved onto the long answer section. I checked over a couple calculation questions I had been unsure of, quickly redoing them on the provided scratch paper.

Just then, my chemistry teacher, Mr. Rutherford, called time. I stood up to hand in my exam, feeling quite confident that I had done well. After all, chemistry was one of my best subjects. Mr. Rutherford smiled at me and pulled me aside.

"Alexei, I've really admired your hard work all year. You've been a pleasure to teach and I have no doubt that you've done well on that exam," he said.

"Thank you, sir. I've enjoyed your class," I replied, earning another smile from him.

"Have you considered taking AP Chemistry next year?" AP classes were basically the equivalent of taking a first-year university-level class in high school. I had considered taking a few AP classes, hoping it would help me get ahead. Besides, my father had been pushing for me to take AP classes.

"I've thought about it."

"I think you would enjoy the challenge. If you do decide to take AP Chemistry, I'd be more than happy to let you into the class."

"I'll definitely think about it. Thank you for the offer."

"Of course. I wouldn't consider letting you into the class if I thought you weren't capable of handling it. Anyways, have a good summer, Alexei," Mr. Rutherford said.

"You too, sir," I replied. I shook his hand then gave him a friendly smile. I walked out of the exam room and found my friend, Tanner Park, standing outside the door. I had met him in Grade Seven, when his father became the political adviser of the South Korean embassy here in Adria. I became friends with Tanner almost immediately and we were still really good friends today, almost as close as Jamie and I used to be.

"Teacher's pet much?" Tanner asked, shaking his head. We started walking down the hallway, towards our lockers.

"Hey, it's not my fault I'm good at chemistry," I said, with a smirk.

"Show-off," Tanner muttered. "Let me guess, you found that exam easy?"

"Yup," I replied, my smirk turning into a full-out grin.

"You nerd. That exam was so hard," Tanner said, with a groan. "I fail to understand how you're so good at chemistry."

"Natural talent," I said, with a shrug. Tanner simply rolled his eyes at that. We had finally reached our lockers. I didn't have much left in mine, just my gym bag and an extra pair of shoes. Tanner, on the other hand, wasn't so lucky.

"Dude, what on Earth happened inside your locker?" I asked as I peered into Tanner's locker, where it literally looked like something had exploded. There were clothes strewn about as well as tons of stray papers and food wrappers. I could have sworn there was also something moldy growing at the bottom of his locker, judging by the smell that was slowly filling the hallway.

"I would have said alien invasion but they don't exist," Tanner said, chucking a handful of papers into a garbage bag.

"You need a hand there?" I offered. Not that I wanted to get up close and personal with all the junk in his locker but he could easily have been stuck there all day, trying to clean it out.

"Much appreciated, man," Tanner said. I started pulling clothes out of his locker, folding them up, and placing them in a pile on the floor.

"Hey, Alexei." I looked up from the shirt I was folding to see Lila and her friends standing by Tanner's locker.

"Hi, Lila," I said, to be polite.

"How was your chemistry exam?"

"It was pretty straightforward."

"Ugh, lucky you. I had mine yesterday and I thought it was so hard," Lila said, with a sigh.

"You're not the only one," Tanner muttered, his attention still focused on the massive pile of papers at the bottom of his locker.

"Anyways, I'm having this party tomorrow night by the cliffs and I was wondering if you wanted to come?" Lila asked. I knew she had an ulterior motive for talking to me. I had befriended her when her family had first moved here. I found her crying in a hallway at school and talked to her, to make sure she was alright. We became friends and she was actually pretty nice at first. However, that part of her slowly faded away, replaced by someone who was more concerned with looks and popularity. At times, she could still be nice, allowing us to have good conversations, just like we used to. Unfortunately, as time went on, it also became painstakingly obvious that she had a crush on me. I never fully returned her feelings but that didn't stop her from pursuing me, even after our brief fling last summer had ended.

"I'm not interested but thanks for the offer," I replied.

"Actually, what Alexei meant to say was that, yes, he is very interested in coming to your party. Both of us are going to be there for sure," Tanner said, giving me a knowing look. I had to resist the urge to punch him for that. Lila glared at Tanner but that quickly changed into a smile as she focused her attention back on me.

"That sounds great, Alexei. I'll see you tomorrow then?" Lila asked, eyes full of hope.

"Sure," I replied curtly. I had no intentions of going to her party but agreeing to go was the fastest way to end the conversation. I was so going to get back at Tanner for this later.

"Great! Bye, Alexei," Lila said, with a flirty wave. I simply nodded at her in response, not saying a word. She and her friends walked away, the sound of their heels clicking on the hallway floor. Once they were out of earshot, I turned back to the colossal mess in Tanner's locker.

"Really, man?" I asked, giving him a disapproving look.

"What? You need to loosen up, buddy. Get that stick out of your ass and lighten up a bit. It's summer and we're going to have some fun, no matter what you say. Besides, it's about time you got some," Tanner said.

"Why do you have to relate everything to sex?" I muttered.

"Because you'd be way happier if you got a little action now and then."

"Like I've said before, I'm not interested in Lila or any other girls."

"Which is seriously making me question your sexual orientation."

"Rest assured, I'm still straight."

"Good because if you suddenly came out, that would seriously ruin my chances of getting a hot date." Tanner came out as gay last year. At first, I was a bit concerned that he would start seeing me as more than a friend but he assured me that I wasn't his type. Now, I was completely fine with it and was more than happy to act as his wingman, if needed.

After another fifteen minutes, Tanner's locker was more or less cleaned out. There were still some mysterious brown bits at the bottom of his locker that neither of us wanted to touch but other than that, his locker was clean.

"Well, that's a wrap on another school year," Tanner said, as he gathered up his bags.

"It's hard to believe we're finally done," I replied. We walked out of the school and started walking towards the embassies.

"I can taste that freedom already," Tanner said, taking a whiff of the warm, summer air.

"And then two weeks later, you'll be complaining that you're already bored," I deadpanned. Tanner gave me a dirty look but I just shrugged in response. It seemed to happen every summer so I wasn't expecting it to be that much different this year.

As we turned onto Embassy Row, I took a deep breath, relishing in the balmy temperature and the cool, refreshing ocean breeze. Now that I had finally finished my exams, I could focus on summer. I couldn't wait to spend my days hanging around Valancia with my friends, taking in all the summer sights and attractions.

"Xbox Live at nine tonight?" Tanner asked me, before stepping through the gates that enclosed the South Korean embassy.

"You know it," I replied, with a smile.

"You're so going down tonight."

"We'll just have to see about that," I replied, my smile turning into a smirk.

"Talk to you tonight, man," Tanner said, pulling me in for a guy hug. He waved at me as he walked through the gates and into the South Korean embassy. I waved back and walked the rest of the short way to the Russian embassy, my home for the past fourteen years. I was born in Moscow but my family moved to Adria when I was three, after my father became the military advisor then the chief of staff to the Russian ambassador. We visited Moscow pretty often, at least once a year, but I still felt more at home in Adria.

As I passed by the American embassy, I saw Martin standing guard. I had gotten to know him quite well, from all the summers I had spent hanging out with Jamie in the American embassy.

"How was school?" Martin called out. He was always quick to give me a wave and a friendly smile.

"Good, thanks," I replied.

"You must be glad it's summer."

"Absolutely."

"Got any summer plans?"

"Not really, just chilling with my friends."

"That sounds like a perfectly good summer to me. Have a good one, Alexei," Martin called out, before turning back to guard duty. I waved then headed into the Russian embassy. I nodded at the guards as I passed through the gates. They weren't as friendly as the American guards but then again, we Russians were known for being cold and stoic. Tanner had told me that I looked pissed off a lot of the time and needed to work on getting rid of my resting bitch face. His words, not mine.

I walked in through the main entrance of the embassy and walked up the grand, sweeping staircase to my bedroom on the third floor. Once inside, I closed the door and immediately changed out of my school uniform. I put on a worn button-down, rolling the sleeves up, and a pair of dark skinny jeans, glad to get into something more comfortable. I packed up my school stuff, putting all my notes, tests, and essays from the past school year into a box for storage. After that, I settled down at my desk with my laptop and watched some YouTube to pass the time.

Once 7:00 p.m. rolled around, I headed down to the fancy dining room for dinner. The ambassador always liked to have dinner in there, with his most esteemed staff. Given that my father was the ambassador's chief of staff, he ranked quite high in terms of importance and was always invited for dinner with the ambassador. Naturally, that meant I was invited too. I didn't really enjoy having dinner in the fancy dining room because it meant that I had to look semi-decent and be on my best behaviour. It always felt like a formal function, even though it was just dinner. If I was busy with school, I tended not to eat down there and just grabbed leftovers from the kitchen to eat in my room.

"Alexei, I'm glad you were able to join us tonight," the ambassador said, as I walked into the dining room. He was seated at his usual place at the head of the table, with my father sitting next to him.

"Yes, sir, thank you for extending the invitation," I said, trying my best to sound as polite and diplomatic as possible. I settled into the seat next to my father, hoping that dinner would go by quickly so I could head back up to my room as soon as possible.

The appetizers, borscht with rye bread, were brought out. The entrées quickly followed. I couldn't help but notice that it was my favourite, beef stroganoff with sour cream and string potatoes.

"I'd like to toast Alexei for finishing his exams and ending yet another school year on a high note," the ambassador said, holding his glass of water out. I held out my glass of water and clinked everyone's glasses, feeling slightly self-conscious at being the centre of attention. It made me wonder if the kitchen had planned on making my favourite dish tonight so that the ambassador could toast me on finishing a successful school year.

Luckily, everyone started eating shortly after, taking the attention off me. I just ate in silence, trying to blend into the background as much as possible. There was conversation all around me, mostly in Russian but I could pick up a bit of Adrian and English here and there. I heard my father and the ambassador speaking about the annual tree-planting ceremony with the American ambassador tomorrow. Things had been a bit tense between the American and Russian embassies lately so everyone was hoping the tree-planting ceremony would go well, to smooth things over a bit more.

"By the way, have you heard the rumour going around that the American ambassador's granddaughter is coming to Adria?" the ambassador asked my father. That definitely got my attention and I tried my hardest to follow the conversation, without being caught for eavesdropping.

"You mean that crazy girl who used to get in all sorts of trouble by jumping from everything and sustaining various injuries?" my father asked, sounding surprised.

"Yes, her."

"It's been a while since she's been in Adria. The last time she was here was what, three years ago?"

"Yes, before her mother's tragic death. She hasn't been back since."

"Do you know when she is arriving?"

"I'm not sure but I believe she is to be arriving some time this week."

"I hope she'll have grown up and won't cause any more trouble."

"I agree. The last thing we need around here is a wild and crazy teenage girl causing all sorts of international incidents." Their conversation then shifted back to the tree-planting ceremony but I could not stop thinking about what they had just said. Grace Blakely was to be back in Adria? I hadn't seen her or Jamie since shortly after their mother had died. I had kept in touch with Jamie, but not Grace, and to be honest, I kind of wanted to see Grace again. I wondered if she would still be the same reckless, trouble-making girl I had always known or if she would have grown up and changed.

As soon as I finished my dinner, I asked to be excused. My father waved me off, barely uttering a word to me. That didn't surprise me though. My father never liked me much, always focusing on his work instead.

When I got back to my room, I immediately grabbed my phone to text Jamie, to see if Grace really was coming to Adria.

" _hey jamie, ive heard that grace is coming 2 adria_?" I texted. Jamie replied almost instantly, which was surprising. Usually, he'd been training or in classes at this time.

" _yeah her flights tonight and shes arriving tomorrow afternoon_ " Jamie replied. My heart almost skipped a beat, although I wasn't quite sure why.

" _cool. U know how long shes staying 4?_ "

" _indefinitely I think, at least 4 the summer. Btw can u keep an eye on her 4 me while shes there?_ "

" _sure man, whatever u need_ " Based on what Jamie was saying, there was a good chance I'd get to see Grace soon.

" _thx I need someone 2 keep her from killing herself or anyone else especially u_ "

" _why me?_ "

" _idk probably cuz u never let her hang out with us when we were younger_ " Oh, he was pinning the blame on me for that one? To be honest, I felt like Jamie never wanted Grace around when we used to hang out during the summer. I never minded having Grace around but Jamie just wanted it to be us boys all the time. He probably didn't want to babysit his younger sister.

" _but srsly u need 2 make sure grace stays out of trouble. U know how much shit she always got into in adria_ " Jamie texted.

" _ill make sure of that_ "

" _kk thx. Im trusting u with this. dont let me down bro_ "

" _i wont, u can count on me_ " I replied. I checked the time and noted that it was almost nine. I headed into the bathroom for a quick shower, before my Xbox marathon with Tanner. I supposed it was official now; Grace was coming to Adria. I wasn't sure if she'd want to see me but I knew that I definitely wanted to see her. Regardless of whether she actually wanted to hang out with me or not, I could tell that this was going to be one interesting summer.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed the first chapter! Who do you think will make an appearance in the next chapter?**


	2. Chapter 2 - Look Who's Back

**As you all guessed, Grace makes an appearance in this chapter! Please note that I will try my best to upload a new chapter every other day around 10 p.m. Central Time (GMT-5).**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner who is my own creation). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Two: Look Who's Back

When I woke up, there was late afternoon sunlight streaming in through the windows. I checked the time on my phone and was surprised and dismayed to see that it was already past 4:00 p.m. I hadn't meant to sleep in so late but Tanner and I had been up until 3:00 a.m. playing Xbox. We would have played for longer if his father hadn't woken up in the middle of the night to check on him. It was kind of funny to hear him getting yelled at by his father for staying up late playing Xbox but it definitely dampened the mood on our gaming session. After that, we both decided it was a good idea to sign off and head to bed. However, I thought it would be a great idea to stay up watching YouTube and didn't go to sleep until almost 6:00 a.m.

I must have been pretty tired because I fell asleep pretty quickly and didn't wake up until now. My father was probably wondering why I wasn't out of bed yet. He had mentioned that he wanted me to get a job this summer or spend some time volunteering. I had spent a bit of time half-heartedly looking at job postings but I wanted to have the summer to myself, to hang out with my friends and do as I pleased.

I quickly showered and pulled on another button down and the same skinny jeans I wore yesterday. On my way down to the kitchen to get some food, I ran into my father.

"You're up late," he noted, looking at me disapprovingly.

"Yes, I accidentally slept in," I replied.

"I think 'slept in' is a bit of an understatement." My father made a point of checking his watch then raised his eyebrows at me.

"I'm sorry. It won't happen again." My father gave me a warning look then walked towards the main entrance of the embassy, no doubt heading to the tree-planting ceremony with the American embassy. I sighed once he was out of earshot. It seemed like no matter what I did, there was no pleasing my father. It really sucked at times, feeling like I was never good enough for him.

I walked into the kitchen and made myself a sandwich with some of the leftover beef from last night's dinner. The head chef also gave me some extra potatoes. At least the kitchen staff and the support staff in the embassy took a liking to me. I always treated them with respect and said hello to them. It definitely helped to have them on my side, especially if I was sneaking out through the service entrance or the back stairwell to meet up with friends late at night.

After finishing my meal, I headed out for a bit of air. It was a really nice day, with a cloudless, blue sky. There was a light breeze, bringing in the smell of the sea. As I walked out the gates surrounding the Russian embassy, nodding at the guards as usual, I glanced over at the American embassy. I remembered what Jamie had said about Grace coming to Adria and wondered if she had already arrived. Taking my chances, I walked over to the American embassy. The guards were changing shifts and it looked like Martin was just about to leave.

"Hi, Alexei! Nice day, isn't it?" Martin called out to me.

"Yes, it is," I replied. I decided to take a chance and ask him about Grace. "Hey, Martin, I heard that Grace was back in Adria?"

"You mean Grace Blakely, the American ambassador's granddaughter?"

"Yes, her."

"I think she just got in an hour ago. You wanted to see her?"

"A bit."

"I can take you inside if you'd like," Martin offered.

"Sure, that'd be great," I said, with a shy smile.

"I'm not sure where she'd be right now but you can wait around inside for her," Martin said. I followed him inside the main entrance of the American embassy. It was just as I remembered it, with American flags and memorabilia plastered all over the walls.

"I'm afraid this is as far as I can take you," Martin said, with an apologetic look, as we stopped at the bottom of the large, spiraling staircase.

"This is fine, thank you," I replied.

"I can't guarantee that you'll be able to stay here long before someone wonders what you're doing here," Martin continued, giving me a pointed look. It probably wasn't the best idea for me to be here, given that this was the American embassy and I was Russian. However, I just wanted to see Grace again. Was that really too much to ask?

"That's alright, thank you for letting me in," I said. Martin smiled and nodded at me then continued off towards the guards' quarters. I looked around, taking in my surroundings. It reminded me of all the times I had been here with Jamie and all the memories we shared.

A slamming door and pounding footsteps snapped me out of my reverie. I heard someone frantically rushing down the stairs and looked to see who it was. They were moving so fast that I couldn't tell who it was. Only when they reached the bottom of the stairs did they finally look up. When I saw who it was, I almost couldn't believe my eyes. She had gotten taller since the last time I had seen her. She was more beautiful than I remembered her being or maybe I just hadn't paid enough attention before. Even though her blonde hair was tangled and matted from flying, her brown eyes were still alert as she took me in.

"Well, if it isn't Grace the Ace," I said, breaking the silence between us. She just stared at me. The stunned expression on her face was mildly disconcerting, making me wonder if I had food stuck in my teeth or if my hair was messed up.

"Isn't that what your brother always calls you? Anyway, welcome back," I said, in an attempt to make her feel at ease. I gave her a friendly smile but she still looked at me like she was surprised to see me here. However, she should have known that I would have stopped by to see her. After all, I wasn't best friends with Jamie for nothing.

"So when did you get in?" I asked, trying to make conversation. I stared at her, taking her in after three years of not seeing her. She was just as I remembered her, only much more beautiful.

"I'm sorry," she said, stepping closer to me. She tilted her head, taking me in. "Have we met?" I couldn't help but laugh at her show of ignorance. We both knew that she knew who I was but I couldn't understand why she wasn't willing to acknowledge it. I supposed it must have been from the shock of seeing me here, in the American embassy.

"Nice try, Grace. So how's Jamie?" As far as I was concerned, he was doing just fine, based on our texts yesterday.

"Perfect. As usual. If you actually knew my brother, you'd know that," Grace replied curtly. How long was she going to keep pretending that she didn't know me?

"Oh, but I _do_ know your brother," I pointed out, hoping she'd quit this act. "In fact, I know _you_." I gave her a charming, playful smile, hoping she'd pick up the hint and quit playing games with me.

"Oh, gee, I'm sorry I don't remember," she said, piling on the sarcasm. She stepped onto the main floor. "I guess you didn't make much of an impression."

"Sure I did. Of course, the last time we saw each other they were scraping what was left of you off of the German courtyard, so I can see how your memory might be impaired," I said, hoping I could get her to crack.

"Canadian. I was in the Canadian courtyard. I've never fallen into Germany," she said, trying to push past me. I easily moved to block her path so that she would be forced to talk to me. That little admission from her was enough of a slip to show that she did know who I was; she just didn't want to bring it up for reasons that were beyond me.

"How long are we going to play this game, Gracie?" I asked, looking at her seriously.

"I'm sure I don't know what you mean." That was a flat-out lie and we both knew it. However, two could play this game.

"Then allow me to introduce myself," I said, complete with a low bow. If I was going to play along too, then I figured I might as well go all out. "Alexei Volkov, at your service. I live next door," I nodded out the window towards the Russian embassy.

"Then shouldn't you be getting home? I'd hate for us to have an international incident. It's only my first day back." As if me being here could possibly cause an international incident. I was only here for a friendly visit, to see how she was doing. What could possibly go wrong in that?

"Actually, that's why I'm here. You see, I'm the guy your brother put in charge of you." She laughed at that and I didn't see how she could have found it funny.

"Oh, he did, did he?"

"Yes. I am to … and I quote… 'keep Grace from killing herself or anyone else.' Especially me. He was most emphatic about that last part," I said, recalling Jamie's texts.

"I don't need a babysitter."

"That is not what I hear." If Jamie's texts were any indication, then Grace most definitely needed a babysitter, or at least someone to keep an eye on her. I crossed my arms and leaned back against the wall, blocking Grace from going any further. As I did so, I finally got a good look at her and was once again struck by how beautiful she had become. It turned out the past three years had done her some good.

"You grew up, Gracie," I said quietly.

"People do that. Even little sisters."

"You will always be Jamie's little sister." Even though she was a lot more beautiful now, a part of me would always remember her as the little girl that used to follow Jamie and I around, begging for a chance to play with us.

"So he likes to remind me. But that doesn't make me your problem."

"I guess this is where we must … what is it you Americans say? Agree to disagree." My English was just as good as any American's, thanks to my education at the English-speaking international school, but I still spoke with a Russian accent. Tanner always told me to play up my accent and pretend that my English wasn't very good. According to him, girls loved foreign guys with accents. If he was here, he would be proud of me for actually following his advice, even if I was only using it to poke fun at Grace. However, it looked like the playful route wasn't working with her so I went for the caring route instead.

"How have you been, Gracie?" I asked softly, hoping the sincerity in my voice would get through to her. It seemed like it did, but it didn't have the intended effect.

"Alive," she said, lowering her head.

"Good." I suddenly remembered her mother and how I never got the chance to give her my condolences. "I was very sorry to hear about your mother. She was always very kind to me."

"I …" Grace started before a far-off, blank look consumed her eyes.

"Grace?" I asked, hoping she would respond to her name. I waved my hand in front of her eyes to get her attention but she still seemed lost in her own world. When she still didn't respond after a few moments, I started getting concerned.

"Grace, is everything alright?" I asked. I suddenly heard her whisper something quietly, under her breath.

"Grace?" I asked tentatively. "Grace, did you say something?" What was happening inside her head right now? What was she seeing that I wasn't?

"I … I have to go," she said abruptly. There was no way she could be leaving so soon, not when I had finally seen her again after three years and had gotten her to drop that stupid game she had been playing.

"Grace –" I started before she interrupted me.

"I have to go now!" she shouted. She seemed to have a destination in mind because she reached for the nearest door. I looked on in horror as I realized where that door led and what was happening there today.

"Grace, you can't go that way," I said, as she reached for the door.

"Watch me!" she shouted as she spun, throwing her arms out. I felt frozen in place as she backed into the door, pushing against it with all her weight. It easily swung open under her weight and she fell to the ground. I made a move to catch her before she fell but sighed in relief as the Russian ambassador grabbed her arm, to steady her and keep her from falling. However, she lashed out and hit him square in the nose. He promptly fell to the ground, blood rushing out of his nose. I tried to rush to his side to make sure he was alright but he was already surrounded by the American guards.

I heard a crash and looked up to see Grace tangled among the rosebushes. Cameras flocked to her, dying to capture her every move. I so badly wanted to help her up as she tried to crawl through the dirt but the international press corps had her surrounded, preventing me from reaching her. Nonetheless, I finally managed to wrestle my way through the crowd, getting to Grace's side. Belatedly, I saw my father standing by the edge of the crowd, looking horrified. He was not going to be happy about this.

"That's why," I said softly, almost like a badly timed afterthought to my previous statement. As the Russian ambassador spat out a mouthful of blood, I saw the realization dawn on Grace's face. Her grandfather finally managed to push his way through the crowd. I bet this wasn't how he imagined his reunion with his granddaughter to go.

"Hello, Grace, darling," he said. Grace squinted up at her grandfather, as if she had just realized he was there.

"Hi, Grandpa," she replied. He offered her his hand and she took it, letting him lead her away. They started heading in the direction of the Russian embassy, following my father and the Russian ambassador. I followed them inside, making sure to stay a short distance behind them. The ambassador was promptly ushered into his office, my father right behind him. Grace's grandfather exchanged a few words with the guards then headed into the office, closing the door behind him. The shouting started as soon as the door was closed. I silently tiptoed my way towards the door and stood beside it. The conversation was kind of hard to follow, given that the ambassador's office was almost soundproof, but I was able to pick up the general gist of it. I winced when my father mentioned that it wasn't the best idea to bring Grace here and that she should be made to stay away from the Russian embassy.

"I didn't mean to do it," Grace muttered from where she was sitting.

"I know." I continued to stay still, following the ongoing conversation.

"It was an accident. He should know better than to go around grabbing people."

"He was trying to help you!"

"I was fine," Grace said, with a lack of expression. I saw right through her words though. She most certainly was not fine, especially when that blank look had taken over her eyes.

"What happened back there?"

"You were there. You saw it."

"What did _you_ see?" She recoiled and I knew I had hit a nerve. She didn't reply, no doubt lost in thought. Without saying a word, she started rocking back and forth, probably unconsciously. Were her thoughts really that bad, enough to make her shake without realizing it? I placed my hand on her back, in an attempt to calm her down. She froze underneath my touch then promptly pulled away.

"Don't touch me," she said, with a warning tone.

"Whatever you say, Gracie."

"Don't call me Gracie." I guessed she must not have liked her childhood nickname anymore. Or maybe she just didn't like me calling her that.

"Okay," I said, with a slow nod, accepting her wishes. "It's okay. At least, I hope it's okay." I looked at the closed door, noting that the conversation had taken a turn for the worse. I wasn't sure what this meant for the Russian embassy's relationship with the United States.

"What aren't you telling me?" Grace asked. I didn't reply as I continued listening to the conversation. It was getting worse by the second, with a low chance of ending on a good note. "Alexei, what is going on?"

"Things have been sort of … tense … lately," I said, stealing glances at the door every now and then. Tense was definitely an understatement.

"We're the United States. You're Russia. Things are always sort of tense."

"It's gotten worse," I said simply. There was nothing else that I needed to say. After all, Grace had grown up as an embassy kid and understood diplomatic relations as well as I did. We both knew this incident had the potential to completely destroy whatever small fragments of friendship Russia had left with the United States.

"Gracie," her grandfather said, as he opened the door. Grace stood up and limped towards him, into the ambassador's office. I hoped that she wasn't in too much pain. I sat down in the chair that she previously occupied. The door was left partially open. I leaned forward in my chair, getting a decent view into the office. I cringed as I got a look at the Russian ambassador. Blood coloured the front of his white dress shirt. There was a bandage on his neck and he was already starting to get a black eye.

"Don't tell me, Gracie. Tell him," Grace's grandfather said.

"Mr. Ambassador. I'm so very sorry for my carelessness. It was an accident. I guess I just don't know my own strength," Grace said, with a forced laugh. I couldn't help but smile at the way she tried to smooth things over with a bit of humour. At any other embassy, that might have worked but this was Russia. Russians weren't exactly known for being humorous. Besides, a little humour wasn't going to magically fix the deep rifts between Russia and the United States.

"I am sincerely sorry," Grace said again. I guess she realized that even humour couldn't save her.

"Very well," my father said. I heard him stepping out of the office and looked up to find him glaring at me. Great.

"Alexei. Come," he snapped at me. I stood up and started following him down the hall. He stopped at the end of the hall, glancing over his shoulder. There was a less-than-thrilled look on his face and I imagined that I was going to get one hell of a lecture.

"Good night, everyone," my father said. "I trust that this incident will not follow us into tomorrow."

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think Alexei's going to get in trouble for?**


	3. Chapter 3 - We've Got a Situation

**As you all guessed, Alexei gets into trouble for going to the American embassy and hanging out with Grace! As you might infer from the chapter title, this chapter features a bit of a sticky situation. Care to guess which one?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner who is my own creation). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Three: We've Got a Situation

I followed my father to his office. A knot was already forming in my stomach, in nervous anticipation of my father's lecture. As soon as we were inside his office, my father closed the door and immediately started yelling at me in Russian.

"What were you thinking, going to the American embassy?!" my father shouted.

"I overheard from your dinner conversation yesterday that Grace was going to be back in Adria. I thought I would pay her a quick visit," I replied, trying to keep calm

"So you decided to waltz on over to the American embassy, thinking that nothing could possibly go wrong," my father said, with a disapproving look.

"I didn't think anything would go wrong." I was immediately met with a silencing glare, a sure sign I had said the wrong thing.

"You should know better. With that girl around, something will definitely go wrong, if the stunt she pulled at the tree-planting ceremony was any indication." He paused for a second to stare me down. I couldn't help but shrink under his gaze, waiting for the next part of the lecture to come. "Secondly, why did you even think it was a good idea to visit the American embassy in the first place? Do you not have any regard for diplomatic relations?" Of course my father would bring diplomatic relations into this; he always did. He was big on creating profitable relationships and maintaining peace between the embassies.

My father glowered at me, as if waiting for my reply. I stayed silent, realizing that he had a point. I was Russian; I didn't have any good reason to be visiting the American embassy, not with our deep tensions.

"I cannot underscore the importance of diplomatic relations enough. You are old enough to understand that; I should not have to be telling you time and time again. I really thought you would have known better. From now on, I do not want you going over to the American embassy anymore and associating with that girl. Is that clear?"

"You sure didn't seem to have a problem with me going over to the American embassy when I was younger." My father glared at me for talking back to him. I winced slightly.

"That's because you were a naïve child who didn't know any better. Besides, I never had any issues with Jamie. He was always well-mannered, intelligent, and responsible, even as a young child. I cannot say the same about the girl. That girl is a trouble maker and an extremely bad influence. Like I've said before, I do not want you associating with her. Ignore her if you must. Is that clear?"

"Yes, father," I replied. He stared me down, as if trying to figure out if I really meant what I said or if I was just saying it to please him.

"I heard that there was a party by the cliffs tonight," my father said casually. I had no idea how he found out about it. However, I knew he was testing me, to make sure I followed the rules.

"Yes, there is," I stated, keeping all emotion off my face and trying not to look visibly surprised.

"I trust that you will not make any more stupid decisions tonight," my father said, eyeing me carefully. Yup, this was definitely a test.

"I wasn't planning on going." Well, that was my original plan. I was still planning to stick to it, even if Tanner tried to convince me otherwise.

"Good," my father said, a look of approval in his eyes. Looks like I had finally done something right tonight. My father moved around me to open the door to his office. I took that as my cue to leave and headed upstairs to my room.

I turned on my Xbox and absentmindedly played for a bit before my phone started buzzing with a bunch of texts. They were all from Tanner.

" _bruh u should have come 2 the party 2nite_ "

" _theres this new girl here and shes causing a ton of drama_ "

" _oh DAMN u wont believe what she just said 2 lila_ " Before Tanner could quadruple-text me, I quickly typed a reply.

" _whats going on man?_ "

" _lila was telling rosie that she didnt want her at her party and this new girl just casually steps in 2 defend rosie_ "

" _wow thats practically unheard of. Hardly anyone ever stands up 2 lila_ "

" _ikr? Btw any chance u know that new girl? Long blonde hair, brown eyes, tall 4 a girl?_ "

" _hmm think that might be grace, the American ambassadors granddaughter_ " If Grace was indeed at the party, I had to wonder how she knew about it or who had taken her there.

" _well shes got guts alright. U wanna know what she just said to lila?_ "

" _do I have a choice -_-_ " Tanner would probably tell me anyways, regardless of whether or not I actually wanted to know. Tanner texted me a voice clip. I clicked on it and Grace's voice started playing from my phone.

"You're the girl who thinks being cruel is the same thing as being witty. You think being loud is the same thing as being right. And, most of all, you're the girl who is very, very pretty. And also very, very … common. Trust me. There's at least one of you in every school." I sighed as I listened to what Grace had just said. I really hoped her spunky attitude wouldn't get her in trouble but by the sounds of it, it definitely had.

" _well that definitely sounds like grace. I cant believe she actually said that_ " I texted.

" _ikr? u should have seen lilas face. pissed af_ "

" _I can imagine. Lila practically rules the school. shes never had anyone attempt 2 stand up 2 her like that_ "

" _no kidding. I think im starting to like this new girl. Especially cuz lila just called her a freak and she didnt seem 2 care at all_ " I took a second to admire how Grace had always been her own person and didn't care what others thought of her. She had always been so headstrong and independent. It was what made her so wild and trouble-making.

" _damn, now lilas going on about how shes in charge cuz somebody has 2 be, not cuz she wants 2_ " Tanner texted.

" _lets not lie, shed probably want 2 take charge anyways, even if she didnt have 2_ " As far as I was concerned, Lila was the type of person who loved being in control. That was what made her such a good leader, especially for keeping the embassy kids in check. However, that also made some of the kids dislike her or even fear her.

" _oh shit, lila was about to hit the new girl or smthng but then rosie just ran between them and stole lilas scarf right off her neck_ " Tanner texted, adding a laughing face with tears emoji.

" _that doesnt sound good_ " In any other context, that would have been funny but this was Embassy Row. We always had to be mindful of our actions because any little incident could potentially strain relationships between countries. The last thing we needed right now was for Germany, Israel, Brazil, and the United States to get into a fight, just because of one stupid incident at a party.

" _OH MY GOD U WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED_ " Tanner texted. That didn't look good. If Tanner used all caps, that meant that major drama was happening. He quickly sent another text after that one.

" _so megan went 2 grab the scarf from rosie but then the wind blew it out of her hands and the scarf landed right on the roof of the Iranian embassy_ "

" _shit thats not good_ "

" _ikr? Lilas pissed af rn and noahs trying to calm everyone down but its not working. I think we may need some backup here_ " I tended to be the peacekeeper for the kids living on Embassy Row and often felt responsible for keeping everyone under control. The other kids trusted my authority and readily listened to me. I almost felt like it was my duty to make sure everyone stayed friends and ensure that diplomatic relationships would not be strained. That way, our parents would have an easier time doing their jobs.

" _id come but my fathers already pissed at me 4 going 2 the American embassy 2 see grace and i dont think itd be a good idea 2 piss him off more_ "

" _cant u sneak out or smthng? We could rlly use a hand here_ " To be honest, I didn't really want to sneak out to the party. I didn't want to risk facing another lecture from my father. However, I also didn't want this misunderstanding to turn into a full-blown international incident. And this was basically another opportunity for me to see Grace again. Suddenly, my phone rang.

"Hello?" I answered, putting my phone up to my ear.

"Alexei? It's Megan. We have a bit of a situation here."

"Let me guess, something about Grace and Lila starting a fight at the party and a scarf landing on the roof of the Iranian embassy?"

"How did you know?" Megan sounded visibly surprised.

"Tanner's been giving me a play-by-play of the party drama."

"Well, I think the drama's just gotten much worse because Grace decided it'd be a great idea to rescue the scarf. She's just jumped into the sea." I groaned and immediately felt anger starting to quell up inside me.

"Alexei, can you please come down here, like, now?" Megan continued. "We all have no idea what to do and I feel like this could very quickly escalate into an international incident. Especially since Grace only just got here and she's already causing problems."

"Tell me about it." Just when I thought Grace couldn't possibly do anything more stupid, she had to go and one-up herself. What made the situation even more ridiculous was that Grace had been in Adria for less than twenty-four hours and she had nearly caused not one, but two international incidents already. If she kept it up at this rate, I was going to have a lot to deal with this summer. I forced myself to take a deep breath, to calm the raging storm of anger inside me.

"So are you coming or not? Because we could really use a hand here. Everyone's freaking out and Noah's trying to calm everyone down but it's not working. We could really use another voice of authority, someone that everyone will actually listen to." I heard a bunch of screaming on the other end of the line and almost cringed. Was everyone seriously that incapable of keeping themselves under control?

"I can't. I've already gotten busted by my father for sneaking over to the American embassy and I don't want to risk pissing him off twice in one day."

"Trust me, it's really bad and we really need you. Alexei, please? I'd really appreciate it if you could get down here and help us. I'm sure everyone else would too, especially Lila. She's absolutely devastated right now," Megan pleaded. It must have been something in her tone of voice or maybe the mention of Lila because I finally relented.

"Alright, I'll come down and see what I can do. I'll be there as soon as possible." I really hoped I wasn't going to regret this.

"Thank you so much, Alexei. I'll see you soon," Megan said, her voice full of relief.

"Yep, see you," I said, before hanging up. I slipped out of my bedroom, making sure to turn off the lights. I softly closed the door behind me and headed for the service stairwell. My phone buzzed and I saw a string of missed texts from Tanner. I quickly scrolled through all the texts recounting what Megan had just told me, except with more swearing. I sighed as I read through them all, cursing Grace and her reckless behaviour. At this rate, she'd be on the front page of international newspapers for disrupting diplomatic relationships, something Jamie would not be happy to hear about.

Just as I was about to start down the stairs, my phone buzzed again with another text from Tanner.

" _partys pretty much gone downhill. everyones freaking tf out rn. If u ever decide 2 come, now would be a good time. We could rlly use u here bro_ "

" _ur in luck. Megan called 2 explain. Im on my way_ " I replied. I passed by one of the cleaning staff on the way out but they simply nodded at me and gave me a friendly smile. The service staff weren't likely to rat me out to my father, especially since I was always really nice to them.

" _OMG FINALLY! thx man, u rlly r a lifesaver u know_?"

" _I try. Isn't always easy with international incidents tho_ " I texted. Tanner simply replied with a laughing face with tears emoji. I shoved my phone into my pocket. Once I was out of the embassy, I started off with a light jog before gradually progressing to a full-on sprint. It was a good thing I worked out regularly and ran often because it was definitely coming in handy right now.

I made it to the cliffs within fifteen minutes. I slowed back down to a jog again, taking the time to catch my breath.

"Hey, you made it!" Tanner said, as I jogged into the clearing. "You also missed all the drama."

"Didn't think I'd want to be around for it anyways," I replied, coming to a stop.

"Oh my god, Alexei, you're here!" Megan exclaimed. "Thanks again, by the way."

"No problem," I said. "Have you seen any signs of Grace?"

"Not since she dived off the cliff. I really hope she'll be okay."

"Me too. That was rather impulsive of her, even by her standards."

"I know, right? It almost seemed like she was asking for a death wish," Megan said, with a forlorn glance towards the sea. The party still carried on, although it was just groups of kids sitting around and talking. The music had long been shut off and drinks had stopped being served. We were mostly just keeping an eye out for any sign of Grace.

"Hey, is that Grace? Up there on the roof of the Iranian embassy?" Noah asked, pointing at a shadowy figure on the roof of the Iranian embassy. I turned in the direction that Noah was pointing and sure enough, I was able to make out a lone figure scurrying across the roof of the Iranian embassy. I watched as Grace ran over to the scarf and managed to untangle it. I really wished that she would have been more careful because anyone could easily see her up there. If we could see her from the cliffs, then surely, people out on the streets would be able to see her too. It wouldn't hurt her to use her brain once in a while.

Soon, she was back on the fire escape ladder, clambering back into the Iranian embassy. I let out a sigh of relief, glad that she was able to rescue the scarf. I hoped that she would make it out quickly and safely, so everything could quickly be resolved. I was still pretty angry that she caused all this unnecessary drama tonight and did some pretty reckless things. After all, she almost caused another international incident. I was going to need to have a word with her to make sure she wouldn't do anything reckless again. Besides, it was my duty to Jamie to make sure that Grace stayed out of trouble and didn't kill herself or anyone else. Though by the looks of it, if she was trying to get herself killed, she was doing a pretty good job so far.

"Now we just gotta hope she gets out of there safely," Megan said. "Anyone wanna go check on her to make sure she's fine?"

"I'll go," I volunteered. That would give me some alone time to talk some sense into her. "The rest of you can go home. Party's over." Everyone seemed to nod in agreement, thankful for my authority. I jogged down the overgrown path, towards the Iranian embassy. As I reached the beach at the back of the Iranian embassy, I saw fresh footsteps leading inside. There was no doubt that those were Grace's footsteps. Again, I couldn't believe she'd do something so stupid and make it so easy for someone to find her. Anyone could easily trace her footsteps leading inside the Iranian embassy and figure out that she was somewhere she wasn't supposed to be. Jamie wasn't going to be happy to hear about this, if I even decided to tell him in the first place. After three years, I would have thought that she'd mature a bit but I guessed she was still just as reckless and impulsive as before. After all, her impulsive thoughts and the way she tended to speak without thinking caused this whole incident in the first place.

I heard her pounding footsteps as she ran through the overgrown courtyard of the Iranian embassy. It wasn't long before I saw her sprinting her way across the soft, sandy beach. I quickly made my way to the wooden fence, the only way out. As she crawled underneath the fence, I acted without thinking. Fuelled by anger, I grabbed Grace off the ground and threw her against the rotting fence. I stared at her hard, trying to figure out why she acted so foolishly. I felt her tremble underneath my grip as I spoke.

"Grace, what have you done?"

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm sure you can all guess what will happen in the next chapter!**


	4. Chapter 4 - Chain of Blame

**You were all really excited to read the part where Alexei scolds Grace, so without further ado, here it is!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner who is my own creation). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Four: Chain of Blame

As quickly as I threw her against the fence, I released my grip on her. I expected Grace to start walking but she only fell, clearly still in shock. I quickly caught her before she could hit the ground. I wondered if she was finally starting to realize that rescuing the scarf was a bad idea. I tightened my grip on her arm and settled for half dragging, half carrying her down Embassy Row. She started shaking, no doubt from her soaking wet clothes and the cold night air.

We walked back in silence. I didn't trust myself to speak without lacing my words in anger. I was fighting hard to stay in control of myself, which was getting more difficult by the second. There were too many emotions going through me right now: shock, anger, disappointment. The fact that she was so close to me wasn't helping either.

"Grace!" someone yelled. I didn't dare turn around. I wanted to get Grace home as quickly as possible before someone, say, her grandfather, found her out of bed in the middle of the night. I felt Grace stop at the sound of her name but I tugged her forward, to keep her moving towards the American embassy.

"I am taking you home," I said, gritting my teeth. It was the only way I could say something without it coming out as an anger-laced shout.

"Grace!" that same person yelled again. I kept on walking and forced Grace to do the same. I had to focus on staying in control of myself and getting Grace home. Distractions would only make both those tasks harder. I heard heavy, loud footsteps behind me but kept walking. We were forced to stop when that person caught up to us and cut us off. I was surprised to see Noah in front of us, leaning over at the waist, trying to catch his breath.

"Are you okay?" Noah asked. I wondered how he knew Grace, as he and Lila only moved to Adria three years ago, after Grace stopped coming. Maybe they had met at the party, although I had no idea how Grace would have even known about that party. Perhaps she had stumbled upon it while exploring, in her typical Grace fashion.

"I'm fine," Grace said.

"She won't be when I'm finished with her," I snarled. Noah gave me a weird look, almost like he was scared of me for saying that. Well, he should have known not to interfere with me when I was angry. I hadn't intended for it to come out so harshly but my mind was so clouded with anger and rage right now that I couldn't think straight. It was my responsibility to make sure that Grace stayed out of trouble in Adria. Thus, I also felt it was my duty to make sure she received appropriate punishment for stepping out of line.

I noticed that we were stopped in front of the German embassy. I saw Lila and Megan stepping onto the street. Lila's eyes immediately snapped to me, a suggestive look written all over her face.

"Hi, Alexei," Lila purred in a much too flirtatious tone. I was not in the mood to deal with her feelings for me right now. Her overly flirtatious behaviour was tolerable at best, but now, given that I was mad as hell, it was downright deplorable.

"Hi," I replied gruffly, hoping she would take the hint. "I'm taking Grace back to her embassy. I'd suggest you all go home as well." I tightened my hold on Grace's arm to prove my point. I hoped they would all listen to me, so I could have a word or two with Grace.

"How did you find me?" Grace asked, her voice cracking. I still felt her shaking underneath me and almost felt bad for her. However, I stopped before I could empathize with her. I had no reason to feel bad for her. She really should have known better than to dive into the sea or go into the Iranian embassy.

"Megan called me. She was worried," I said simply.

"It was that or call my mom," Megan said defiantly. Like her mother would have been much help in this situation.

"I can't believe you're okay," Noah said, with a nervous laugh. There was a look of relief in his eyes and I started wondering if he had feelings for Grace. I suddenly felt the need to keep Grace to myself, like no one else could have her. "You're okay. When you jumped I thought –"

"Say good night, Grace," I interrupted, tugging on her arm. I had just about lost my patience and Noah, Megan, and Lila certainly weren't helping. I forced myself to take a deep breath, before my control snapped. I needed to get them out of the picture as soon as possible so I could knock some sense into Grace.

"Here's your scarf," Grace said, pushing a torn and ragged fabric in Lila's direction. I was barely able to recognize it as the blue and white scarf that Lila wore all the time.

"Thanks," Lila said, although she looked at Grace like she was contagious. I wasn't surprised by that; after all, Grace had only been in Adria for less than twenty-four hours and she already seemed to have garnered herself a reputation as a troublemaker. Grace pushed herself out of my grip and started walking ahead of me. I let her go instead of trying to get a hold on her again. I decided it was for the best, so I could calm down and gain control over my emotions before talking some sense into her.

I followed behind her, watching as she stopped to lean against the fence that surrounded the American embassy. Again, I couldn't help but notice how she still managed to look beautiful, even with her soaking wet clothes and sand-covered body.

"What were you thinking?" I asked, as I stopped in front of her. As I took her in, studying her every feature, my feelings of anger slowly dissipated, turning into concern. She was rocking slightly, a sign that something was definitely wrong with her. I placed my hand on her arm to steady her.

"What is wrong with you?" I asked.

"I'm fine. Just cold. Tired." I had no idea why she was lying, as I once again saw right through her. She obviously wasn't okay and it wasn't just due to tonight's events.

"Grace –"

"Leave me alone, Alexei. I am not your problem." She tried pushing past me but I blocked her way.

"You're Jamie's problem. And since Jamie isn't here …" I said, drawing out the words to let her figure it out herself. I smiled at her, almost daring her to go against me. She knew I was right; she had to. I was in charge of her since Jamie wasn't here and I would do everything in my power to keep her safe and out of harm's way.

"You don't get to boss me around just because I'm a girl, you know."

"No." I stepped closer to her. "I get to be the boss of you because you're Jamie's kid sister and Jamie isn't here."

"Well, that's his problem."

"No. It's my problem." I leaned closer to her. She started shaking harder, as if my mere presence scared her. "Do you have any idea where you were? What would have happened if someone – anyone – had seen you in there?" I feared that I had gone too far but I needed to make her see reason, to make sure she understood that she did something wrong and intolerable.

"I paid the neighbors a visit. Sue me." Something about her tone of voice, maybe the sarcasm, unleashed my former anger, causing my self-control to briefly disappear.

"I'm going to do far worse than that," I snapped. Realizing how harsh that sounded, I softened, hoping that would get through to her better. Besides, my gut told me that I wasn't capable of hurting her. It wasn't due to my lack of strength or fighting ability but something else that I couldn't quite figure out.

"You are the daughter of a major in the United States Army," I continued. "You are the granddaughter of the United States' foremost ambassador to Europe. You cannot break into embassies of hostile governments, Grace. I didn't realize someone had to spell that out to you, but I'm spelling it out now." Hopefully, laying everything out clearly would make her see reason and make her understand that she couldn't just act impulsively.

"Leave me alone, Alexei," Grace said, her voice cracking. She was trying to sound like she didn't care about my lecture but it wasn't working. She was shaking so much now and I got the feeling that something else, something bigger, was wrong.

"There's something you're not telling me," I stated. "What is it, Grace? What is it you aren't telling me?" Her face suddenly blanched, like she was lost in thought. I knew she was deliberating, although over what, I wasn't sure. As she opened her mouth to speak, I half expected her to tell me what was really going on, the reason for her intense shaking. Instead, she simply bade me good night and started heading towards the gate. I didn't try to stop her, but followed behind her, to make sure she got inside safely.

"You're following me," Grace said.

"Yes, I am."

"That's really annoying."

"I'm sure it probably feels that way, yes." It was for her own good though. How else could I make sure that she was safe?

"I can take care of myself." Grace said, stopping to look at me.

"That's exactly what worries me." I watched as she stepped through the gate, heading inside the embassy. If I trusted her to take care of herself, she was only going to get herself killed. That was why I had to keep an eye on her. I knew that she definitely was not okay but I didn't understand why she was so reluctant to tell me what was wrong. It almost seemed like she was scared of letting others in and it made me wonder what she was hiding. As I headed back to the Russian embassy, I could only hope that Grace would start making the right decisions and eventually start trusting me, enough to let me into those walls she had built around herself.

I walked back up to my bedroom, hoping I'd be able to get to bed. I had stayed up much later than intended, thanks to that potential international crisis. I thought of Grace, hoping that our talk would make her rethink her actions, enough to stay out of trouble.

As I neared my room, I noticed that the light was on, shining through the crack under the door. I distinctly remembered turning the light off when I left. I suddenly realized who would be waiting for me on the other side of the door and felt another pit of dread forming in my stomach. As I gripped the door handle, I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the lecture that was going to come.

"I thought you weren't going to be making any more stupid decisions tonight," my father said, as soon as I walked in the door. He was sitting at my desk chair, his back to me. I sat down on my bed, so that I was facing him. I seriously wondered who had ratted me out. Or maybe I just wasn't careful enough tonight. Either way, I knew that my night was not going to end well.

"Something came up," I replied.

"Care to elaborate?" my father asked, raising an eyebrow at me.

"There was a bit of a … situation at the party," I said, choosing my words carefully.

"A situation?" Looks like I wasn't going to be getting away with this one.

"Lila and Grace had a misunderstanding, leading to an interesting scenario involving a scarf rescue. I was called in for mediation." My father let out an annoyed sigh.

"Those children cannot always rely on you to sort out their petty problems."

"We were afraid it would lead to an international incident. Besides, I did what I thought was the right thing."

"Sometimes, the right thing is not always the best thing to do. Even though you may feel obligated to act as a peacekeeper, those children need to learn to resolve their issues on their own."

"They trust my authority the most."

"They need to learn to deal with situations themselves. You cannot always be coming to their rescue. What will happen when you cannot be there to resolve the situation?" I stayed silent. My father got me and he knew it. "See, you should not be helping those children so much. You have better things to focus your time and energy on. Understood?"

"Yes, father," I said, hanging my head down in shame. I just tried to do what I thought was right but I guess even that wasn't enough to please my father.

"Good. From now on, I do not want you sneaking out to deal with petty issues, especially between the other children. Is that clear?" My father looked at me expectantly.

"Yes, father," I simply replied.

"You mentioned the American girl's name. Did you sneak out to see her?" my father asked, giving me a hard look.

"No, of course not. I went to the party to deal with the situation," I replied, starting to feel angry again.

"The situation could have been a convenient cover story for a clandestine meeting with the American girl, no?"

"Grace is just a friend! I would not be sneaking out just to see her!" I shouted. I stopped short, suddenly realizing that part of the reason I had snuck out was to see Grace again. My father gave me a devilish smirk, like he knew he had caught me in a lie.

"You say one thing but your face says another thing. Is this American girl more than 'just a friend', as you put it?"

"No, I –" I started. Sure, Grace was my friend but that wouldn't explain why she looked so beautiful under the moonlight. Or why I felt that I wasn't capable of hurting her.

"See, that American girl is already starting to cloud your judgement. You should not be having any feelings, romantic or not, towards her, understood?"

"What, am I not allowed to be friends with Grace?" I snapped, unable to contain myself after hearing what my father said about Grace.

"I have no authority to tell who you should be friends with," my father started. "You are old enough to make those decisions yourself. However, certain friendships may be more beneficial than others, in terms of fostering diplomatic relations. I can tell you right now that a friendship, or a romantic relationship, with the American girl would only serve to weaken our ties with the United States."

"So you are trying to dictate my friendships," I shot back, my previous self-control gone. My father suddenly launched himself out of my desk chair, tackling me back against my bed. It didn't hurt but it was enough to take my breath away for a second.

"I am trying to help you do the right thing," my father said in a quiet, anger-laced tone. "You should know that things have been getting worse between us and the United States. Interacting with the American girl will only serve to harm our fragile relationship. Maybe I'll have to force you to stay away from the American girl, if you cannot do so on your own accord." I froze. Jamie wanted me to protect Grace. How could I do that if my father wanted me to stay away from her?

"Like I said earlier, that American girl has been clouding your judgement. Do I have to set parameters on your whereabouts, to ensure that you won't have secret meetings with her?" my father asked, with a condescending tone.

"No, I will stay away from Grace," I said, trying to keep my voice from shaking.

"You don't sound so sure of yourself," my father stated, picking up on my uncertainty.

"I will stay away from her, if that is what you want me to do."

"Is that what _you_ want to do?" my father said, taunting me with my own words. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay in control of my emotions. Despite the anger flaring up inside me, I would not give in to my father's taunts. I would not give him the satisfaction of seeing me out of control again.

"Yes. I will stay away from Grace and avoid all interactions with her." I put as much resolve as I could into my voice.

"Are you sure?" My father raised an eyebrow at me. I could have sworn there was another devilish look on his face, almost like he was goading me again.

"Yes." I forced myself to stare hard into my father's eyes and meet his unwavering gaze.

"Good." My father got up and walked towards the door. At the last second, he turned around.

"The palace is hosting their annual ball in two days," my father stated. "As I`m sure you are aware, this ball is an extremely important event, as the ambassadors will present their credentials to the king. We are required to attend, courtesy of the ambassador. I expect that you will be on your best behaviour that night."

"Yes, of course," I replied. From a young age, I had been trained on how to act appropriately at formal occasions. I knew how to hold myself properly at balls. This was nothing new to me.

"That includes staying away from the American girl," my father said, looking right at me. I suddenly froze under his glare, not expecting another mention of Grace. I thought we were done arguing about her.

"Yes, I will," I said, after a moment's hesitation. My father just eyed me suspiciously before walking out of my bedroom, closing the door behind him. I let out a sigh of relief as I heard his footsteps fading away. I always hated getting lectures from my father; getting two in a night was even worse. For some reason, I felt like that was only the first of many lectures to follow. If my father kept up the lectures at that rate, then I was definitely going to be dead meat by the end of the summer.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What did you think of the chapter title? I couldn't think of one that fit the chapter really well and went with 'Chain of Blame' because it seemed to work fine. Next chapter features a side of Alexei that isn't featured much in the books!**


	5. Chapter 5 - Do You Even Lift, Bro?

**You all really seemed to dislike Alexei's father. I'm just letting you all know that was just the beginning of the many things his father will say and do to him. This chapter features Alexei the gym buff, which there wasn't a whole lot of in the books! This will be the first of many workout chapters in this fanfic so if you enjoyed this chapter, then you will definitely enjoy the other workout chapters!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner who is my own creation). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Five: Do You Even Lift, Bro?

I woke up to my phone buzzing. Grabbing my phone off the bedside table, I turned it on and saw one new notification from Tanner. I clicked on it to open his text.

" _hey bro gym 2day?_ "

" _yeah meet u in half an hour. U coming here?_ " I quickly replied.

" _yup see u in a bit_ " Tanner replied. I rolled out of bed and put on my workout clothes. I grabbed my water bottle, my phone, and my earbuds and headed down to the kitchen to make myself a smoothie. I quickly gulped it down then headed out to the gates, to meet Tanner.

"Slept well after last night's international incident?" Tanner asked, a grin on his face. I nodded at the guards to let him in and we started walking back to the Russian embassy.

"Ugh, no. My father somehow found out that I snuck out and gave me a lecture afterwards," I replied, with a yawn.

"Damn, that sucks, bruh. Tell me more?"

"Later. Over lunch after our workout?"

"Sure. Amelia's?" Tanner asked. It was this little café in downtown Valancia that served amazing breakfast food. We went there often, especially after our gym sessions.

"You know it," I replied. I pushed open the door to the gym at the Russian embassy. A few of the senior executives in there glared at me and Tanner.

"He's with me," I said in Russian. They nodded and turned back to what they were doing.

"Please don't tell me today is leg day," Tanner said, casting a wary glance at the leg machines.

"Nope, you're in luck. I thought we'd do chest and back," I replied, causing Tanner to sigh in relief. We walked to the floor area for our warm-up. I led him through a warm-up of dynamic stretching moves.

"Meet me back here after cardio?" I asked, once we had finished our warm-up. Tanner nodded and headed off towards the ellipticals. I plugged my earbuds into my phone and turned my workout playlist up loud. I hopped onto the treadmill and did my usual five-mile run. After a quick water break, I set up the mats, benches, and dumbbells in the floor area.

I led Tanner through a circuit consisting of push-ups, flies, dips, and rows. After completing the circuit three times, we stopped for a water break.

"How did you find that?" I asked.

"Tiring," Tanner replied. He looked fairly exhausted and his shirt was drenched with sweat.

"You did good though. Your form has really been improving," I complimented. Tanner's eyes glowed with pride. Ever since Tanner had started working out with me a couple summers ago, he had gotten a lot more physically fit. I was impressed with how seriously he had taken our workout sessions and how well he had kept up his fitness.

"Anyways, if you've still got some energy to spare, how do you feel about a bit of bench press?" I asked, a small smirk on my face.

"I'm down," Tanner said, returning my smirk. We wiped down all the equipment we had used and returned them to their rightful places before heading over to the bench press.

"Spot me?" Tanner asked, as he settled down on the bench.

"Of course. How much weight do you want?"

"Seventy pounds," Tanner said. Including the forty-five-pound bar, 115 pounds was his average bench press. He had only gotten serious about weight training a year ago so he wasn't up to my level yet. Even when I was a little child, my father would have me running, doing basic work-out moves, and doing fight training with him. When I was twelve, he started adding a gym aspect to it. That included an intensive weight training strength program, as well as training programs designed to increase my muscular and cardiovascular endurance. It was fair to say that I was pretty physically fit. I loaded the weights onto the bar then went around to stand by the front of the bench press.

"You ready, bro?" I asked.

"Ready," Tanner replied. He nodded at me, my cue to lift the bar off the rack. I slowly guided the bar over to him, to help him get a good grip on it. He nodded again, my cue to let go of the bar. I kept my hands in position, one near each side of the bar, as I started counting his reps. However, he only managed to get past two reps before he started struggling and almost dropped the bar on his fifth rep. I quickly intervened to safely drop the bar back on the rack.

"Geez, Alexei, how much weight did you put on here?" Tanner asked, rubbing his arms in pain.

"Ninety pounds," I said, with a grin.

"Come on, man, you know I can't bench 135," Tanner complained.

"You managed to get in two solid reps with good form and another three reps with questionable form," I pointed out. "So technically, that does prove you can bench 135."

"Well, I'm not trying that again." I took off twenty pounds, leaving him with his usual 115 pounds. I took my usual position to spot him. This time, he successfully completed ten reps. He got off the bench press and quickly wiped it down while I loaded more weight onto the bar.

"How much weight is on there?" Tanner asked, as he got into position to spot me.

"150 pounds," I said. Combined with the forty-five-pound bar, that was a total bench press of 195 pounds, which was light for me. I usually benched 205 pounds, 215 on a good day. Today, I figured that I'd do less weight, since my chest and back were already a bit sore from that circuit.

"Show off," Tanner muttered. I simply shrugged and nodded at him. He lifted the bar off the rack for me and I quickly got a good grip on the bar. I did my reps slowly and evenly, making sure to keep good form. After I counted twenty reps, Tanner grabbed the bar from me and dropped it back on the rack, with a clang.

"Geez, you should be more careful with that or you'll break something," I chastised playfully.

"Hey, not my problem that you're the gym buff here," Tanner said sarcastically. "Though you should seriously consider getting a spotter who can lift at least as much as you." Sure, Tanner couldn't bench as much as me but I still trusted him to spot me. After all, I knew he would look out for me and make sure I didn't get injured while benching.

"I'll spot for you." I turned my head to see my father standing next to Tanner. I hadn't heard or seen him come in. My father worked out a lot and was even more muscular than I was. He used to be a part of the Russian Special Forces, where he needed to keep his strength up. Even though he was in a less physically demanding job now, he still liked to work out and stay physically fit.

"You are free to go. I'll see to the rest of Alexei's workout," my father said curtly, looking over at Tanner. He simply nodded in response, nervously looking at my father. A lot of people were really intimidated by my father, Tanner included. Although he preferred to use the term 'scared shitless'.

"Okay. I'm hopping in the shower now. Text me when you're done," Tanner said, heading off to the locker rooms.

"You need more weight. You won't increase your strength or build muscle mass if you don't use more weight," my father said in Russian, once Tanner had left. He started loading more weight onto the bar. I couldn't tell how much he had added but knowing him, he would probably add more weight than I was capable of benching, to push me beyond my limits.

"Start with 205 pounds, your usual weight, and do five reps," my father instructed. Okay, that sounded easy enough. I wasn't sure where he was going with this. He lifted the bar off the rack for me and I did my five reps. After I finished, my father nodded in approval.

"Good. You've kept your strength up," he commented. He added a bit more weight to the bar then returned to the spotting position.

"210 pounds, five reps." Almost without warning, my father lifted the bar off the rack. I quickly scrambled to get a good grip on it. I did my five reps then handed the bar back to my father. He added more weight on the bar before handing it back to me.

"215 pounds, five reps." He gave me a knowing look, since this was usually the most I benched. I managed to do my five reps without too much struggle. My father nodded at me then added more weight. He kept adding five pounds at a time and making me do five reps. I managed to keep up but the reps were slowly getting more difficult for me to do. By the time he got up to 230 pounds, I was definitely struggling to do my reps.

"235 pounds, five reps," my father instructed. Again, he lifted the bar off the rack for me. I got a grip on it and slowly lifted it up. I could feel my arms shaking as I did so. I tried my hardest to maintain proper form and managed to get one rep done. As I went to lift the bar up again for the second rep, my arms suddenly gave in. I lost my grip on the bar and almost dropped it. I panicked for a second, before my father caught the bar and placed it back on the rack.

"Is that it?" my father asked, almost like I was disappointing him.

"Yes," I said, not really wanting to hear my father's reply.

"I didn't think you'd get past 225 pounds," my father admitted. "It looks like you have been making an effort to stay physically fit. However, you should start adding more weight to your bench presses. It's not going to do you any good if you only bench moderate amounts of weight. Have a quick water break then meet me in the fight training area." I gulped down half the water in my water bottle. I could feel my arm muscles quivering, which was a good sign that I would wake up with sore arms tomorrow. I hoped that I hadn't overworked them as I really did not want to start the summer with an arm injury due to an over-intense workout.

I quickly wiped down the bench press then headed over to the fight training area, where my father was getting set up.

"Here," my father said, handing me a set of hand wraps and a pair of boxing gloves. I carefully wrapped my hands then slid the boxing gloves on top of my wrapped hands. He led me over to one of the punching bags.

"Do whatever you want to this. Punches, kicks, whatever," my father said. I noticed he was holding a stopwatch.

"Anything?" I asked, to make sure I was hearing him right.

"Anything. As long as you keep going," my father said. I felt like I was walking right into a test but went with it anyways.

"Three, two, one, go!" my father shouted, starting the stopwatch. I started off doing slow, even punches, getting myself into a nice rhythm. I added in a few roundhouse kicks too.

"Faster!" my father shouted. I picked up the pace of my punches, hoping that would be enough to satisfy him. I was already starting to feel a bit of a burn in my arms, no doubt from the bench press.

"More! I want to see more variation!" my father yelled. I started working in uppercuts and more kicks, before eventually settling into a nice cycle of punches and kicks.

"Harder!" my father shouted, his cold, hard voice ringing loud and clear throughout the gym. Even though I was already feeling pretty worn out, I still forced myself to put more power into my punches and kicks. I wondered how long I had been going for but didn't dare ask. I could feel my energy wearing away fast and really hoped I wouldn't have to keep going for much longer. However, that definitely wasn't going to be the case. Even when I was a child, my father always liked to push me beyond my limits and make me do more than I could handle. In that way, he had always been a strict, harsh parent.

"Enough!" my father shouted. "Your technique is getting sloppy." I stopped and almost collapsed onto the mat. My muscles were aching all over and I knew tomorrow was going to be hell.

"That was five minutes," my father said, glancing down at the stopwatch. "You held on for longer than I'd expected. Start incorporating this more into your workout; you should be able to keep going for at least ten minutes straight." Ten minutes! That was going to require a ton of training and endurance building.

"You have surprised me; I didn't think you'd get past three minutes," my father mused. It looked like my gym sessions with Tanner had paid off, although I was really going to have to up the ante if I wanted to impress my father.

"Are we finished?" I asked, taking off my boxing gloves.

"Not quite. One more thing," my father said. "Take a water break while I get ready." I grabbed my water bottle and went over to the water fountain to refill it. I drained half of it then filled it up again. I walked back to the fight training area and found my father wrapping his hands. My stomach dropped as I realized what I wanted my father to do.

"Come. In the ring," my father instructed. I stepped into a large circle on the mats, where my father was.

"You and me. Sparring. First one down on the mat or out of the ring loses," my father said coldly. It was the exact same instructions he always gave me when we sparred. I couldn't remember the last time I'd sparred with my father. It must have been earlier this year before school got busy with exams. However, it didn't matter how long ago it was when I last sparred with my father. I knew that I would lose regardless. I always did. Even when I was a little child, my father would go all-out during sparring. Technically, in sparring, the fighters weren't supposed to get injured but that never stopped my father from landing a few painful blows on me throughout the years.

My father and I got into the fight stance. When he nodded, we started circling each other. We were both passive fighters, always waiting for the other to strike first. Eventually, my father struck out first. I managed to block his fist then reached out to hit him, only to get blocked in return. We started moving in a cycle of striking out and blocking each other. After what felt like an eternity, I managed to get in a hit on my father's arm.

"Good," my father said. It looked like that impressed him. Normally, he would get a hit on me first. I was glad that I had gotten strong enough to finally hit him first, for once.

I staggered backward when a sudden jolt of pain shot through my chest. My father must have hit me hard while I was lost in my thoughts. I instinctively clutched at my chest in pain. That was surely going to leave a bruise.

"You should know better than to get distracted," my father said, his earlier approval gone. He quickly landed a punch on my arm. Normally, it wouldn't have hurt very much but since I had killed my arms earlier on the bench press and then hitting the punching bag, my arm burned where he hit me. I grabbed at my arm in pain, forgetting about the pain in my chest. I saw my father bringing his leg up for a low kick. Given how harsh and cruel he could be, I should have known he would use my distraction to his advantage. Before I had time to execute any kind of defensive maneuver, my legs buckled out from underneath me and I fell to the mats in a heap. I looked up at my father and saw him glaring down at me with cold, hard, emotionless eyes.

"That was disappointing. I expected more from you," my father said, his words edged with a harsh tone. I only nodded in response, biting my lip to keep from crying out in pain. I didn't want my father to think I was any weaker than I already was.

"Let me guess, were you distracted because you were thinking of the American girl?" my father asked, like he was challenging me.

"I haven't even thought about Grace once since last night!" I protested. Why did my father have to bring up Grace now? I had already made it clear that I was going to stay away from her. Did my father really see the need to keep drilling that into my head?

Instead of going on about diplomatic relations as I expected, my father just shook his head.

"You are graduating from high school next year. If you were considering a military career, then you need to start training more now, if you are to stand any chance of getting in," my father said. He had hinted several times that he wanted me to follow in his footsteps and join the military. I had other plans, namely, going to university, getting a science degree, and working in research. I wasn't going to rule out the military just yet but it definitely wasn't my preferred career path.

"Oh my god, what happened, bruh?" I looked up to see Tanner rushing to my side. His hair was sticking up in wet spikes, indicating that he just gotten out of the shower. I turned my head to see my father glaring down at us in disapproval. He shook his head before speaking.

"It's a shame. I thought I had raised you better. I guess I was wrong," my father said icily, before walking away.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think will happen next? Also, the next chapter will introduce a new, original character! Any guesses as to this character's relation to Alexei?**


	6. Chapter 6 - The Crazy American Chick

**This chapter will introduce Jordan, a friend of Alexei's! I hope you like him!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Six: The Crazy American Chick

I saw Tanner glaring at my father as he walked out of the gym. When I heard the doors to the gym close, I finally let myself scream out in pain. Other than Tanner and I, the gym was empty. I could scream all I wanted without worrying about humiliating myself in front of my father or his colleagues.

"Shit, bro, what the hell did he do to you?" Tanner asked, his voice full of anger.

"Sparring," I simply replied.

"Can you walk?"

"I think so." I pulled myself into a sitting position and Tanner pulled me up into a standing position. Aside from feeling shaky, my legs were fine and I was more or less able to walk. My arms, on the other hand, weren't faring as well. It hurt to just lift them up, even in the slightest bit.

"You sure you're okay?" Tanner asked, looking at me with concern. We walked out of the gym.

"Yeah, just not sure about my arms though."

"I can see that. What happened when I was gone?"

"He got me on the bench press then kept adding more weight until I couldn't do any more reps. Then, he put me in front of the punching bag and told me to punch and kick it until I couldn't go on any more. And then sparring, where he beat me up."

"Damn, that is not okay. And your dad calls that a workout?" Tanner asked, incredulous. I simply nodded in response. "That sounds more like physical torture!"

"Yeah, well that's what happens when your father is a Russian ex-military man." We walked into my bedroom and I immediately headed for the adjoined bathroom. I tried to strip off my workout clothes but I could barely move my arms without a burning sensation. I yelled out in pain again and soon heard knocking on the bathroom door.

"You okay in there, bro?" Tanner asked, his voice flooding through the door.

"Not really. You mind giving me a hand?" I asked, opening the bathroom door.

"Nope." He helped me take off my workout clothes, leaving me in nothing but my boxers. I saw Tanner raking his eyes over my body and grinned in response.

"Like what you see?" I asked, my grin spreading wider.

"I have to admit, the view's not bad. Not bad at all. You really got some nice muscles. It's a shame you're not my type."

"That and I'm not gay."

"Of course. I'm leaving now because there's no way I'm helping you shower." I just smirked at him as he walked out. I managed to get my boxers off without too much pain and hopped in the shower. I turned the water up hot, hoping it would help with the pain. It took me longer than usual to shower but I managed, trying my best to ignore the flaming agony in my arms. Once I finished, I hopped out of the shower and towelled off. I had just managed to put my boxers on when there was knocking on my bathroom door again.

"You need help putting on your clothes?" Tanner asked.

"Sure." As much as I hated feeling helpless, I didn't want to strain my arms any more today. I opened the bathroom door and Tanner walked in.

"Damn, that's one hell of a bruise you got there on your chest," Tanner said. I looked at myself in the mirror and noticed a large red spot on my chest. That was no doubt where my father had hit me earlier. I lightly touched it and winced in pain. It looked like it would take a while to heal.

"You got another one right here," Tanner continued, pointing to a spot on my left bicep where my father had also punched me. Luckily, it wasn't as bad as the one on my chest, since I wasn't hit as hard there.

Tanner helped me get into skinny jeans and a button-down. He even did up the buttons for me, which was much appreciated. There was no way I could have buttoned up my shirt without my arms shaking in pain and exhaustion.

"There, looking better," Tanner said, folding my collar down into place. "You still up for Amelia's?"

"Sure. I just want to get out of here for a bit, away from my father." Tanner gave me a sad look but didn't say anything else. I slipped my feet into a pair of Converse and slipped my phone and wallet into my jeans pocket. We walked to Amelia's for lunch. It was as busy as usual and we took our place in the line.

"Hey, Tanner. Hey, Alexei, I've just cleared off a table for two. You guys want it?" I looked over to see our friend, Jordan, standing by us. He worked at Amelia's as a waiter. Jordan was Adrian-born and attended the English-speaking international school in Valancia. Tanner and I didn't become friends with him until Grade Eight, after we got paired together for a school project. At first, he didn't seem like the kind of person I'd be friends with. He had always been a rebel, known for wearing Converse instead of dress shoes with our school uniform, dyeing his hair crazy colours, and smoking on school grounds. Even though Jordan seemed like an intimidating guy, he was actually an extremely loyal friend once Tanner and I got to know him.

"Sure," Tanner replied. We followed him over to a table by the window. A lot of people in line looked pretty pissed off because we got the table first. I was pretty sure Jordan wasn't allowed to seat friends first, but being the rebel that he was, he bended the rules for us.

"You guys need menus or you just getting your usuals?" Jordan asked us.

"The usual," Tanner said.

"Same for me," I replied. Jordan quickly noted it down and headed into the kitchen. He soon emerged, with two drinks, and made a beeline for our table.

"By the way, these are on the house," Jordan said, with a wink, as he placed two Cokes on the table.

"Thanks, man," Tanner said, unwrapping a straw and sticking it in his Coke.

"You really need to stop doing this for us," I replied. "I appreciate the free drinks but I don't want you getting in trouble with your boss." Jordan's boss had already yelled at him twice for giving us free sodas when we were here.

"You guys are my friends," Jordan said, with a shrug. "Besides, the kitchen's not gonna notice if two Cokes are missing."

"Remember what happened last time?" I asked, raising my eyebrow. His boss had freaked out and frantically tried to track down those two missing Cokes before realizing Jordan had given them to us again. It had not been a pretty sight, watching Jordan get yelled at in a packed restaurant.

Jordan simply shrugged in response, like he didn't care if he got yelled at again.

"You know, at this rate, you're going to be fired within a month," I said, with a small smirk.

"That'd be a shame because I do like this job," Jordan said.

"Dude, you might wanna get back to work because I think your boss is staring you down," Tanner said. Jordan turned around and a panicked look sprung onto his face.

"Shit, you're right. I'll be back later, when we can talk more," Jordan said. He frantically ran off, to check on the other tables in his section.

"He never learns, does he?" I said, with an amused smile. We watched Jordan run around to various tables, collecting orders and dropping off dishes. He looked really stressed out right now and I couldn't blame him. Working as a waiter seemed like a very high-stress and tiring job. I wasn't sure if I'd be cut out for it.

"Not my problem. Then again, I do like watching him run around after getting caught talking to us," Tanner said, a huge grin on his face. We watched as Jordan speed-walked a tray of drinks to one table, almost crashing into one of the other waiters.

"That was a close call," I said, with a laugh. Jordan turned around to glare at us. I didn't realize he had heard my comment but that only made the whole situation funnier. I smiled at him, giving him an innocent wave. Jordan just stuck his tongue out at us then made his way back to the kitchen.

"Your usuals," Jordan said, after a short wait. He set the club sandwich with a house salad in front of Tanner and a Mediterranean omelette with hash browns and toast in front of me.

"Thanks, man," Tanner said, grabbing his sandwich and shoving it in his mouth.

"What Tanner said," I added. I went to pick up my fork but my arm burned in pain. I made a face, trying not to scream in pain, and dropped my fork. It hit the table with a resounding clang, causing everyone in the nearby vicinity to look at us.

"You okay, bro?" Jordan asked, giving me a funny look.

"It's a long story, involving a gym, a torturous workout, and a hardass Russian father," Tanner said, around a mouthful of sandwich.

"Fill me in later, you look like you're in a lot of pain," Jordan said, with actual concern in his voice. For once, he wasn't being sarcastic, which was much appreciated.

"You have no idea," I managed to get out, clutching my arm in pain.

"I'll give you a twenty-dollar tip if you stay and feed Alexei," Tanner said. I glared at him while Jordan just laughed.

"You keep it; I get paid decently enough here. Besides, my boss would freak if I did that," Jordan said.

"And I'd rather not look like a helpless idiot in public," I stated. I picked up my fork again, ignoring the pain in my arm. I managed to stab a few hash browns and get them up to my mouth without too much pain.

"You sure as hell weren't saying that when I was helping you earlier in the bathroom," Tanner said, with a suggestive wink. Jordan just raised his eyebrows in surprise.

"We'll fill you in later. Go before your boss decides to fire you," I said. Jordan nodded then headed off again.

"Mind if I steal a few of your hash browns?" Tanner asked.

"Go ahead. I'm not that hungry anyways," I replied. Tanner just gave me a concerned look. Normally, I'd be ravenous after a good gym session but knowing that I had disappointed my father ate me up inside, enough to make me lose my appetite.

"You can tell us, you know. Me and Jordan. We're here for you if you got stuff on your mind," Tanner said, in a surprising gesture of comfort. I was very guarded with my feelings, even with my close friends. After my mother disappeared ten years ago, I learned not to trust anyone and started keeping my thoughts and feelings to myself. It took a lot for me to open up to others, even about the smallest things. However, I really appreciated how Tanner and Jordan were always there, if I ever wanted to talk. It was nice to know that they actually cared about my well-being.

When Tanner and I finished eating, Jordan came by to collect our plates and left us with the credit card machine. As usual, I left a huge tip for Jordan. After Tanner and I paid, we headed out, Jordan in tow.

"I'm going out for a smoke break!" Jordan shouted into the kitchen. We walked out of the restaurant and went around to the back. A door was propped open, leading into the kitchen. There were a few strategically placed crates on the ground, creating a meeting area of sorts. Jordan sat down at one crate and pulled out a pack of cigarettes and a lighter. Tanner and I sat down on either side of him.

"So, you mind telling me what happened earlier to your arm," Jordan asked, as he cupped his hands around the end of his cigarette to light it.

"Tanner and I were working out in the gym at the Russian embassy when my father came in and gave me this ridiculous workout to do. Bench press, punching bag, sparring. All until I couldn't go on any further," I recounted.

"Shit, that doesn't even sound like a workout. Seems more like physical torture to me," Jordan said, taking a drag of his cigarette.

"Yeah, try saying that to an ex-Russian military guy," I replied. "It's all just a bit of light activity to him."

"Light activity, my ass," Tanner said, with a snort. "I swear your dad gets a kick out of seeing you suffer in pain." I knew my father didn't like me much but I wasn't sure if I'd say that he enjoyed seeing me in pain. I knew that all this tough physical training was supposed to be for my benefit but I wondered if part of it was my father's enjoyment of watching me suffer. Unfortunately, I could never tell what my father was feeling or thinking since he had an excellent poker face.

"Shit, that's serious," Jordan said. "Sounds like abusive or psychopathic behaviour to me."

"I second that," Tanner said. "Does forcing your children through extreme workouts count as physical abuse?"

"Not if they can write it off as training or something," Jordan replied.

"Which sounds like something my father would do," I said. "Knowing him, he'd peg those intense workouts as physical training to get me into a military career."

"Damn, sucks to be you, bro," Jordan said, taking a drag of his cigarette. Tanner nodded in agreement. A comfortable silence fell between us before Jordan spoke up again. "So I heard there was this party last night that got insanely out of hand?"

"Yup, you should have been there. There was all this crazy drama," Tanner replied.

"I couldn't exactly go, remember? I had work last night. Anyways, I heard this new girl was there too, some American chick or something."

"Oh yeah, her." Tanner's eyes lit up in recognition. "She caused a ton of drama last night with Lila."

"This better be good."

"It was. So basically, Lila was telling Rosie to go home and the new girl just comes in and stands up for Rosie. And then she goes off on this rant about how stereotypical Lila is and Lila, being Lila, gets pissed at her. So they start fighting and Lila goes to punch the new girl or something when Rosie suddenly runs between them and steals the scarf right off Lila's neck. Then Megan goes to steal the scarf back from Rosie except the wind gets it first and blows it right onto the roof of the Iranian embassy."

"Is that the really old building right by the beach?"

"Yup, that's the one. It's barricaded off so no one can get in."

"Shit, that's serious. I bet Lila was pissed."

"Oh, believe me, she was," Tanner said, a devilish grin on his face. "She was even more pissed when the new girl said that she'd get it."

"How the hell are you supposed to get a scarf off the roof of an abandoned building?" Jordan asked skeptically.

"By diving off the cliffs into the sea, swimming up to the back of the building, and climbing a fire escape ladder up to the roof," Tanner rattled off. Jordan just stared at him with wide, horrified eyes and almost dropped his cigarette in surprise.

"Please tell me he's kidding," Jordan asked, turning towards me.

"As much as I'd like to say Tanner's kidding, he's not. I was there for the fire escape ladder part of it," I replied. Jordan just shook his head as he stubbed out his cigarette and lit another one.

"Wow, that girl must be insane. She's definitely got spunk if she trashed Lila like that," Jordan said. Oh, he had no idea. "Who is she anyways?"

"The American ambassador's granddaughter. Her name is Grace," I said. Thinking of Grace instantly made me think of how beautiful she looked, standing under the moonlight by the American embassy. It almost made her glow in an otherworldly way as she stood there, looking hurt and lost. Seeing her like that made me want to hold her in my arms and never let her go. However, I had a duty to fulfill to Jamie first, which was to lecture her and make sure she stayed out of trouble.

"Ooh, Alexei's got that look on his face," Tanner teased, snapping me out of my daze. I quickly composed myself and turned to face him.

"What look?" I asked.

"The universal look that guys get when they're thinking about someone they like. Where they get that dazed look in their eyes and their mouth just kinda hangs open in this dreamy half-smile," Jordan said, with a smirk. Great, both of them had noticed that I had spaced out while thinking about Grace.

"So, you gonna tell us who it is?" Tanner asked.

"Yeah, spit it out already," Jordan said. They both leaned in closer to me, as if I was about to share a juicy secret. However, they were out of luck. No way were they getting anything out of me.

"What makes you think I was fantasizing about a girl?" I asked, trying to get them off topic.

"Oh please, there is nothing else that could make a guy go all starry-eyed like that," Jordan said. Damn, looks like I had been busted.

"Is it anyone we know?" Tanner asked. I kept my face blank, causing him to sigh.

"I don't care if I know her or not; I just think it's finally time you got some, Alexei!" Jordan exclaimed. I rolled my eyes. I definitely was not looking for sex right now. If anything, I wanted a nice, steady relationship, built on trust and deep conversations, not sex.

"Well, it's definitely not Lila," Tanner started, "Because we all know you don't return her feelings." That wasn't entirely true; I definitely considered her to be a close friend because I had opened up to her a fair bit. However, I knew that she had a crush on me; she had admitted it to me once during one of our many long talks. That led to our little fling last summer, where I learned I didn't return her feelings in that way. I found that she was a lot more annoying when she was trying to flirt with me than when we were just talking as friends.

"Don't think it's Megan either," Jordan said.

"Rosie's too young. Unless you have a thing for younger girls that we don't know about," Tanner said. I shot him a look. Did he seriously think I was a pedophile?

"Don't think it's anyone from school or we would have known long ago," Jordan said. Tanner nodded in agreement. Suddenly, his face lit up.

"Oh my god, it's her, isn't it?" Tanner asked. He continued before I had a chance to answer. "The new girl? The crazy American chick who dived off the cliff and talked back to Lila? It's totally her." I didn't say anything but I could feel my cheeks heating up, as I inadvertently started blushing.

"Damn, bruh, I totally didn't think crazy American chicks were your type!" Tanner exclaimed. I shot him a warning look, to make sure he quieted down. I didn't want my crush on Grace, if my feelings could even be called a crush this early on, to be made known to the world.

"Same. Although I'm glad you finally got your eye on someone," Jordan said, with a wink.

"I wouldn't exactly say I like her in that way," I said. "I mean, I only just got reacquainted with her after, what, three years?"

"Hey, there's a reason love at first sight exists. It's totally okay to admit that you like her, bro," Tanner said.

"Wait, you said she was American, right?" Jordan asked. I nodded in response, confused as to what he was getting at.

"And you're Russian. I can't imagine that interethnic relationship would go down well, especially because the US and Russia aren't exactly known for liking each other," Jordan finished. I couldn't believe I was ignorant enough to overlook this fact.

"Shit, bruh, there's no way your dad would approve of that relationship," Tanner said.

"No kidding. He'll probably want me to settle down with a Russian girl back in Moscow," I replied. My father and I hadn't talked about dating much but he had hinted that he wanted me to marry a Russian girl. Yeah, he definitely wouldn't approve of a relationship between me and Grace, if we ever made it that far.

"That's a shame. Well, love is love, right? Can't fight what the heart wants," Tanner said.

"True that. Take a chance, man. You never know where things might end up," Jordan said. "Besides, it sounds like you two already have some history so that should make getting reacquainted pretty easy." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"Oh please," I replied. "You know I'm not in it for the sex."

"That's what they all say, then they meet the one. In your case, that'd be the crazy American chick," Tanner said. "And before we know it, you and her will be going at it like rabbits." Jordan burst out laughing but I just glared at them.

"Real funny, guys," I said.

"No, but seriously, Alexei, you're always so serious and focused. Do something different this summer and take a chance with that girl. Lighten up a bit. Maybe she'll be good for you," Jordan said.

"And not just in bed," Tanner added, with a devilish smirk. I couldn't hold it in any longer. I punched Tanner in the arm, causing him to fall off his crate.

"Oww! What the hell was that for? Are you trying to give me the Russian military treatment?" Tanner moaned, rubbing his arm.

"That's what you get for meddling in my relationship life," I muttered.

"Geez, did your fling with Lila last summer permanently turn you off girls?" Jordan asked, incredulous. I sighed.

"That was complicated," I said. "It was very obvious early on that a relationship between her and I was never going to work out."

"Just because you and Lila didn't work out doesn't mean that you and the crazy American chick won't work out," Tanner said.

"I'm with Tanner," Jordan seconded. "Based on what I've heard of her, she's not Lila. She definitely seems more like your type. If I were you, I'd hit her up as soon as possible. You never know if anyone else will get her first."

"Like Noah. He and the American chick seemed pretty buddy-buddy last night," Tanner added. That made me wonder, how did Noah know Grace? Noah and Lila had moved to Valancia after Grace stopped coming to Adria for the summer.

"Damn, really?" Jordan asked, looking surprised. Tanner nodded in response. "Well, Alexei, it looks like you've got competition. You'd better hit up that American girl before she ends up with Noah."

"Alright fine," I said. "I'll try talking to her more and see if that leads anywhere."

"That's more like it," Jordan said. "You never know where one conversation could lead."

"I second that," Tanner said. "By the way, Jordan, is that your boss headed back here?" We all turned around to see Jordan's boss making his way to the back door of the kitchen. Jordan's face quickly became panicked. He stubbed out his cigarette then quickly stood up, dusting himself off.

"Shit, thanks for the heads up," Jordan said.

"No problem, man," Tanner said. "Talk to you later?"

"Of course, I'll see you guys later!" Jordan said, with a quick wave before he ran back into the kitchen. Tanner and I headed back to the front of the restaurant and out onto the street.

"What Jordan and I said earlier, we meant it," Tanner said, in a serious tone of voice. "You deserve some happiness in your life and I feel like a summer romance would definitely cheer you up. Do this for yourself, bro. Take a shot with that American chick, okay?"

"Okay," I replied, as we headed down the street, back towards the embassies. However, I wasn't sure if I would actually follow Tanner and Jordan's advice. As appealing as a relationship with Grace sounded, there were far too many complications. Like my father's obvious dislike for her. And my duty to Jamie to keep Grace out of trouble, not get into a relationship with her. Besides, I had no idea if Jamie would even be okay with the idea of his best friend and his younger sister dating. It seemed like a serious breach of bro code to me. With so many complicating factors already, not to mention the ones that would arise if Grace and I actually did start dating, it seemed like a relationship between Grace and I wasn't meant to be.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What important event do you think will happen in the next chapter? Also, do you like reading longer or shorter chapters? As you may have noticed, this chapter (4200 words) was longer than the other ones. If you liked this longer chapter, then I have quite a few longer chapters coming up!**


	7. Chapter 7 - Just One Dance

**As you all guessed, this chapter is the credentials ball! This is the first of five long chapters in a row so I hope you enjoy the long chapters!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Seven: Just One Dance

"Come in!" I shouted, as I heard a knock on my bedroom door. I paused the YouTube video I had been watching and turned around to see my father leaning on the door frame of my bedroom door.

"The ball starts at seven tonight. The limo will be taking us there at six. I expect you to be dressed and waiting outside at that time," my father instructed. I glanced over at my alarm clock and noted that I still had two hours to get ready. More than enough time. "As previously discussed, I also expect you to stay away from the American girl. I don't need you tainting the embassy's good reputation by associating with her. Understood?"

"Yes, father," I replied, trying hard to repress a sigh. He had already made his point clear many times and I was already starting to get sick of him telling me to stay away from Grace.

"Good," my father said. He walked out of my room, leaving me to get ready. I turned off my laptop and was just about to head into my bathroom when my phone rang.

"Hello," I said, putting my phone up to my ear and sitting back down.

"Hey, man. So a little birdie told me that Grace hasn't been having a good start in Adria," Jamie said, cutting right to the chase. Oh great, her grandfather must have told Jamie. "You let her crash the tree-planting ceremony? Are you out of your mind?"

"I told her not to go through those doors, but Grace being Grace, she charged right through and well, you know what happened."

"I told you to keep her out of trouble, not lead her right into it."

"She seemed hell-bent on getting outside because she was acting strange. She headed for the nearest door and charged right through, without stopping to think. You really think I could have stopped her?"

"You sure as hell could have tried. I trusted you with her, Alexei. So far, you've been letting me down."

"I'm sorry, bro. I really have been trying but you know as well as I do that Grace just seems to attract trouble."

"Is this your not-so-sneaky way of telling me that Grace has gotten into more trouble?" I briefly hesitated and heard Jamie sighing on the other end. "Come on, bro, I know you're keeping something from me. Just spill the beans already."

"Well, there was a bit of an … international incident two nights ago," I started. So much for keeping this from Jamie.

"Oh my god, Alexei, what the hell has Grace done now?" I could imagine Jamie pacing back and forth, trying to keep himself from punching something. I quickly recapped the party drama to him. After I finished, I was met with stunned silence before Jamie finally said something.

"Only Grace would think it'd be a great idea to attempt a scarf rescue mission."

"She actually succeeded, for once, and didn't break any bones either. Like I said, it was a bit of an international incident but I more or less got it sorted out."

"But Grace still should have known not to go into the Iranian embassy. Bad enough that she walked in there, even worse that she had to go all the way up to the roof, where she could have been seen by anyone."

"You know Grace. That wouldn't have been enough to stop her. Besides, I talked to her afterwards, to make sure she'd stay out of trouble."

"And hopefully, that'll be the only talk you need to give her. I'm holding you accountable if she gets into trouble again."

"I won't let you down," I promised. No matter what Grace did, I would try my hardest to stop her. I wouldn't let her step out of line again, even if it meant going to extremes to keep her out of trouble.

"You better not," Jamie said. There was a brief moment of silence before Jamie spoke again. "The annual ball at the palace is tonight, right?"

"Yes, for the presentation of the credentials to the royal family."

"Will you and Grace both be there?"

"I'm going with my father. I'm not sure about Grace."

"If you see her there, can you make sure she's on her best behaviour and doesn't do anything that will get her into trouble? Talk to her, dance with her, make sure she'll stay in line tonight."

"I'll try my best." That was going to be a bit of a struggle, considering my father wanted me to stay away from Grace, at all costs.

"Good. Don't let me down, bro."

"I won't."

"Alright, talk to you later," Jamie said.

"Yup," I replied. Jamie hung up, ending our phone call. I sighed as I put my phone back on my desk. I hadn't intended on telling Jamie about Grace's little international incident but somehow, he still managed to know that something was up. It must have been his protective older brother sense, allowing him to figure out when something was wrong with Grace. He sounded really disappointed about Grace's international incident and I hated feeling like I was letting him down. How was I supposed to keep Grace out of trouble when my father wanted me to stay away from her? I felt like my loyalties were divided between making my father happy and making my best friend happy. No matter who I chose, someone would be disappointed and things wouldn't end well. I only hoped that when things did fall out, I wouldn't lose someone that I cared about.

I headed into the bathroom, to get ready for the ball. Even though I had more than enough time, I didn't want to risk running behind, due to a shaving mishap or a lost button, and disappoint my father.

I stripped and headed into the shower, taking the time to wash my hair and scrub myself down. My arms still burned from my insane workout yesterday but the pain was a bit more manageable. Needless to say, I still felt a stinging pain as I shampooed and conditioned my hair.

After my shower, I shaved, making sure I got rid of every stray hair. I applied aftershave, to keep my face smooth and well-moisturized for the night. I quickly towel-dried my hair. It was still slightly damp but that made it easier to gel my hair into a quiff.

Once I was satisfied with how my hair looked, I headed back into my room, to find something to wear tonight. The credentials ball was the most formal annual event in Adria, calling for a black-tie dress code. I chose a black tuxedo, for a classic, timeless look. I paired it with a white dress shirt and a simple pair of black, patent leather dress shoes. Lastly, I added a skinny black bow tie to finish off my look. As an afterthought, I grabbed a bottle of Armani cologne from the bathroom counter and sprayed a bit on my neck and my wrists. Taking one last look in the mirror, I straightened my tie and ran my fingers through my hair. I had to admit, I looked pretty good. No one would know that I was covered in bruises from yesterday's sparring session with my father. I just looked like an average embassy kid, headed off to another fancy event.

I grabbed my phone and my wallet off my desk and stuck them my pants pocket. After taking one last look around my room to make sure I wasn't forgetting anything, I headed downstairs to the main entrance of the embassy. I smiled to myself when I saw I was the first person there. For once, I had actually arrived earlier than my father, who was known for being extremely punctual. I heard voices and looked up to see my father, the ambassador, and Mikhail walking down the stairs. My father and the ambassador gave me friendly nods, while Mikhail smiled at me.

"Alexei, you cleaned up nice today," Mikhail said, giving me a friendly pat on the back. Mikhail had met and befriended my father in the Russian Special Forces. When my father had been hired by the Russian embassy in Adria, originally as a military and security adviser, my father personally hired Mikhail to be his driver. I had known Mikhail practically my whole life. He was like a second father to me.

"Thank you," I replied, returning his smile. He walked past me, towards the limo parked outside. My father gave me the once-over and nodded in approval at my outfit choice. He gestured at me, to follow him to the limo. Mikhail opened the limo door for the three of us.

"Have fun tonight," Mikhail said to me, as I climbed in.

"Thanks, I'll try my best," I replied. Mikhail gave me a friendly smile, before closing the door and heading up to the driver's seat.

I sat across from my father and the ambassador, who were continuing their conversation from before. They were also having their customary pre-party smoke. I wrinkled my nose as the smell of cigarette smoke quickly diffused throughout the limo. I pulled out my phone to text Tanner and Jordan. They were both going to the ball. Tanner was going with his father and the South Korean ambassador while Jordan was part of the catering crew that would be serving food. I seriously wondered how he managed to get a job catering for nice events but it was nice to know that he would also be at the ball. This night would definitely be a lot more bearable if both Tanner and Jordan were there.

After a short ride, we pulled up to the palace. We were stuck in a line of a dozen other limos as we slowly crawled through the palace gates. Eventually, we reach the front of the line and a security guard opened the limo door for us. I thanked him as I climbed out of the limo after the ambassador and my father. We walked down the long red carpet that led right to the palace's main doors, where all the ambassadors would be entering. I put on my best smile, for all the paparazzi cameras lining the red carpet. I had been attending this event for as long as I could remember. By now, I had gotten used to the formal protocol and knew how to make a good impression.

Once inside, I lined up with my father and the ambassador, to make our way through the receiving line and over to the royal family. We got stuck near the end of the line, so we had to wait around half an hour before we could finally go through the receiving line.

Finally, the Russian ambassador was announced. I walked down the receiving line, behind my father and the ambassador. A smile was plastered on my face as I shook hands and introduced myself to many important-looking people that I'd probably never talk to again.

Soon, we were introduced to the royal family. I bowed as we were approached by each member of the royal family, Princess Ann, the prince, the queen, and the king. The ambassador presented the king with the credentials, a fancy scroll secured with red ribbon and sealed with wax. After that, the three of us bowed again. I was about to walk off to find Tanner and Jordan when I was approached by Princess Ann.

"Your Royal Highness," I greeted, making sure to bow again.

"Alexei, what a pleasure to see you here tonight. Could I have a private moment with you?" Princess Ann asked. I nodded and she led me to a small room that branched off from the ballroom. It was simply furnished, with a small table and two chairs. I noticed a stack of folded papers, neatly tied together with a ribbon, on the table. Princess Ann suddenly stopped and turned to face me. She tenderly brought her hand to my cheek, lightly caressing it.

"Every year, you look more and more like your mother," she said, as she looked at me fondly. I had my father's facial features but my mother's eyes and hair. It was a fact that my father never let me forget. "Do you ever miss her?"

"All the time." Even though ten years had passed since my mother disappeared, I still thought of her every single day.

"Karina was a good woman. A bit on the wild side, for sure, but that was what made her so unique." Princess Ann turned her attention to the stack of papers on the table. "I still get the feeling that she knew something bad was going to happen to her. After all, she knew there would be consequences for unravelling the secrets that the Society has tried to keep hidden for so long." I nodded as I remembered how my mother used to tell me stories about treasure hidden by the women of Adria and how one day, she would find that treasure and share it with me. Even though I no longer believed in fairy tales, I was still hoping that one day, I would see my mother again.

"I remember the exact day she told me to meet her in secret. Almost ten years ago today. She constantly kept looking over her shoulder, as if she thought she was being watched. She handed me this stack of papers and told me to keep it safe. She told me to give it to you once you were old enough to understand," Princess Ann said, tears shining in her eyes. She handed me the stack of papers. I turned it over, examining it. They were all worn and yellowed with time, the edges slightly frayed. "I haven't looked through them. They were given to me like this. Your mother told me it was for your eyes only. She gave me strict instructions, saying that you were to read them in private and that you were to destroy them once you read them."

"Thank you, Princess, for giving this to me." It was so strange, having a piece of my mother with me after she had been gone for so long.

"Of course. It's what your mother would have wanted. I can only hope that you'll do the right thing with it."

"I will," I replied, even though I had no idea what information these papers could contain. For all I knew, it could potentially change my life in unimaginable ways. Princess Ann smiled at me then took a second to compose herself.

"I suppose we should head back out to the ball before the guests start wondering where we've disappeared to," she stated. I nodded in agreement and gently took her arm, to escort her back out to the ball. Princess Ann was soon approached by a couple of ambassadors and I quickly dismissed myself. I wandered around the party hall, looking for Tanner and Jordan. Suddenly, an arm wrapped around me from behind and a hand was placed over my eyes.

"Boo! Did we scare you, bro?" I heard Tanner's voice right against my ear.

"You were two seconds away from getting thrown to the ground," I muttered, my initial fear dissipating into annoyance.

"I'm gonna take that as a yes." Tanner released his hold on me. He gave me the once-over. "Damn, bro, looking good."

"You're not looking too bad yourself." Tanner was decked out in a dark purple tuxedo, complete with a violet bow tie. It was a crazy ensemble, but he somehow made it work, tying the look together with a white dress shirt and black dress shoes.

"Oh please, I'm pretty damn fabulous and you know it," Tanner said, with a wink.

"Never denied it," I replied. I turned to Jordan and gave him the once-over. He looked really uncomfortable, in a simple white dress shirt, black dress pants, and a long black tie.

"Part of the uniform, bro," Jordan said, with a shrug. He held out the tray he was carrying towards me. "Scallop?"

"Sure," I replied. I grabbed a toothpick and skewered a scallop. I shoved the whole thing in my mouth. "Looks like the catering job is going well?"

"So far. If this works out, I'll do this during the evenings and work day shifts at Amelia's, at least for the summer," Jordan explained.

"Fed up with annoying customers?" Tanner asked.

"You know it," Jordan said.

"I feel like the ambassadors and government officials can be more demanding than customers over at Amelia's," I said.

"Can't argue with your logic. I've never seen so many self-righteous bastards in one place. Although it's nice getting to be a part of the high-class party scene, with my two embassy homies, for once," Jordan said. He put an arm around each of our shoulders and gave us a friendly pat on the back. "By the way, I managed to save you guys some hors d'oeuvres from the kitchen. Figured they wouldn't miss a few trays of food out of the thousands they've got in there. You can thank me later." It was then that I noticed the stack of white take-out containers poorly hidden behind a napkin display.

"You might as well eat up now and enjoy them while they're fresh," Jordan said. I grabbed the container from the top of the stack and opened it to find not one, but two complete shrimp cocktails. Tanner immediately grabbed a shrimp by the tail and dunked it into the cocktail sauce.

"Bro, how the hell did you manage to smuggle out two whole shrimp cocktails and fit it all into one take-out container?" I asked, looking skeptically at the box. It looked like there were at least sixty pieces of shrimp, plus two large dipping plates of cocktail sauce crammed into the tiny box.

"Don't question his kitchen magic, just enjoy this good shit before the catering crew realizes it's missing," Tanner said, with his mouth full of shrimp.

"What he said," Jordan said. "Besides, all those trays of food have to be eaten or they're gonna get thrown out. So I decided to save a bunch for you guys."

"Why don't you just save it all for yourself?" Tanner asked.

"Already got a whole cooler full of hors d'oeuvres in my car," Jordan said, with a mischievous smile. I handed Tanner the take-out box with the shrimp cocktails and quickly examined the rest of them. Cucumber sandwiches, bruschetta, mini-quiches, devilled eggs, crab puffs, canapes, scallops, and caviar.

"I can get more from the kitchen if you'd like," Jordan said. I just gave him an incredulous look and shook my head. I grabbed a plate and filled it up with hors d'oeuvres from the long food tables. I figured I'd split the take-out boxes with Tanner later.

"Alexei, we're going to circulate," my father said, coming up behind me. He simply nodded at Tanner and Jordan then turned his attention back to me. "You can bring your food." I waved at Tanner and Jordan and gave them an apologetic smile before heading off with my father. We stopped to talk to almost every ambassador and important person in the room. It was basically an endless cycle of smile, introduce myself, make small talk, and move on. Most people just congratulated me on another successful school year and told me I looked so grown up. I noticed that my father managed to steer clear of the American ambassador. He clearly wasn't too keen on trying to mend our relationship with the United States. At one point, I spotted Grace and her grandfather talking to the prime minister. She smiled at me but I forced myself to walk on with my father, as if I didn't see her at all. After we had more or less talked to everyone in the room, my father turned and spoke to me.

"I'm going for a smoke with some of the other ambassadors. Can I trust that you'll stay on your best behaviour?"

"Yes, father."

"You won't take advantage of my absence to talk to the American girl?" he asked, giving me a hard look.

"I won't. I'll just grab some food and talk to Tanner and Jordan."

"Good. That American girl is going to wreak havoc on your life. She is a troublemaker who will ruin your good reputation."

"Yes, father. I'll stay away from her at all costs," I replied. My father nodded at me and headed off towards one of the smoking rooms. I quickly found Tanner and Jordan sitting at an empty table in the corner.

"Back from Hell?" Jordan asked, as I sat down next to him.

"You have no idea," I replied. I noticed that a plate of food was sitting in front of me. I started digging in. "By the way, shouldn't you be circulating and serving food?"

"I'm taking a breather. I went around earlier when you were circulating with your dad," Jordan said. We continued eating before Tanner suddenly perked up.

"Hey, Alexei, is that the American chick you're obsessed with?" Tanner asked. He nodded at the girl standing next to the prime minister. Sure enough, it was Grace. It looked like she and her grandfather were still speaking with the prime minister.

"Yeah, that's her," I said.

"Damn, she's hot," Tanner said.

"She'd be hotter if she wasn't in that eyesore of a pink dress," Jordan said.

"I think she looks good. That dress does bring out the best in her pale skin," I said. Grace was wearing a light pink dress with a full skirt that really highlighted her fair skin and tiny figure. It almost made her look like a princess.

"That's just because you're in love with her," Tanner said, in a sing-song voice.

"Even with that god-awful dress, she's still got booty to make up for it," Jordan said. He arranged his thumbs and index fingers like a photo frame and positioned it so that Grace's rear end was right in the center.

"Come on, man, really?" I asked.

"What? She's got one fine booty," Jordan said. "It'd be a shame if it didn't get the attention it deserved." I rolled my eyes at Jordan. I had never once thought about a girl's body parts because I wasn't that kind of guy. I always focused more on personality and character, rather than looks.

"So, you gonna talk to her? Ask her to dance?" Tanner asked.

"Hell no. My father's going to flip out if he sees me with her," I replied.

"Damn, your dad needs to stop with the cock-blocking," Jordan said.

"I have no intentions of having sex anytime soon. You know that as well as I do," I deadpanned. Contrary to what Tanner and Jordan thought, I wasn't interested in sex. If anything, all I wanted was a steady relationship that didn't revolve around sex.

"Still, your dad's not even here right now. You could talk to her or dance with her and your dad wouldn't notice," Tanner said.

"Come on, man, just go dance with her already. One dance. That's it. It's about time you started doing what you wanted instead of doing what'll make your dad happy," Jordan added. To be honest, I really did want to dance with Grace and tell her how beautiful she looked tonight.

"Besides, we got you, bro. Any sign of your dad and we'll intervene. We got your back," Tanner added.

"You better or things aren't going to end well if my father sees me with Grace," I said.

"Don't worry, we got you. Bros for life, right?" Jordan asked. I just nodded in response.

"She's alone now, go, bro, go!" Tanner exclaimed. I looked up and saw that Grace was standing by herself, looking lost and alone in a crowd of people.

"Get her before someone else talks to her," Jordan said. I rinsed my mouth with a few sips of water then dabbed my mouth with a napkin.

"How are my teeth?" I asked, smiling wide at Tanner and Jordan.

"All clear," Tanner said.

"Now, go get 'em, bro!" Jordan exclaimed, practically pushing me towards Grace. I took a deep breath and composed myself before making my way over to Grace. To be honest, I was kind of nervous about this because I would be so dead if my father saw me right now. It didn't help either that Grace looked absolutely breathtaking tonight. I placed my hand on her arm and felt her jump underneath me.

"Hello, Gracie," I said, as she turned around. I sucked in a breath as I looked right at her, taking in her exquisite features played up in all the right ways thanks to makeup. She was even more beautiful up close and I couldn't help but notice just how much the tight bodice of her dress highlighted her tiny figure. "You look very lovely this evening." For a second, she looked flattered by the compliment but then her face turned serious.

"Hello, Alexei. I was just going to powder my nose, and –"

"Not so fast," I interrupted. I seriously wondered if Ms. Chancellor instructed her to say that every time she was approached by a guy. Grace started to turn away from me but I acted on impulse. I caught her arm and pulled her towards me. I placed one arm around her waist and took her other hand in mine. With a few steps, I spun her onto the dance floor and we started dancing.

"I'm not talking to you," Grace stated. "And you're not talking to me either if that look you _didn't_ give me a while ago is any indication." However, that was only because my father was there. If only she knew just how much my father wanted me to stay away from her and how much I didn't want to stay away from her, maybe then she'd understand.

"Whatever you say," I said, deciding to go along with whatever she did. After all, the last thing I needed tonight was to cause yet another international incident.

"In fact, I'm sick of you," Grace continued. Didn't she just say she wasn't talking to me a few seconds ago? This could get interesting.

"Okay."

"I'm just –" I couldn't resist it any longer.

"You seem to be struggling with the concept of 'not talking,' aren't you, Grace? Or perhaps my English is not as good as I think it is." That seemed to shut her up. As I spun her around the ballroom, I slowly took in my surroundings, while also keeping an eye out for my father. As I spun by Tanner and Jordan, they both gave me thumbs up and massive grins. I had to resist the urge to roll my eyes at them. I looked back down at Grace, who was taking everything in with wide eyes. I couldn't help but compliment her again, hoping she'd take it better this time.

"You do look nice tonight, Grace. Being clean and bruise-free seems to agree with you. Are you enjoying the party?" I asked. She simply stayed silent and I figured that she was either not enjoying the ball or decided she wasn't going to talk to me. I decided it was the latter. Feeling a bit cheeky, I decided to talk on, hoping I could get her to crack. I also wanted her to appreciate how much she should be enjoying the ball, especially since she looked like she wasn't in the greatest mood.

"Most posts aren't like this, you know. Embassy life is not usually so … glamorous. But Adria is different, my father says. It is like the old days here, with their balls and their beautiful embassies. Some say it is because it is good for tourism – that it is an act and they have an image to protect. But I do not know. In any case, you and I are very lucky that our families are posted here."

"I'm not listening to you," Grace said, as she looked over my shoulder, like she was trying to avoid looking at me. I smiled to myself, for finally getting her to crack.

"I don't have to pay attention to you. Or mind you. Or care about your opinion," she continued. Eventually, her eyes finally met mine.

"You are not my brother," Grace said, staring right at me. I couldn't help but laugh at how ridiculous she sounded. She obviously didn't realize just how much I paid attention to her, minded her, or cared about her opinions. After all, since Jamie wasn't here, it was my responsibility to care for her like an older brother would.

"I am your brother's proxy, Grace," I said, pulling her in tighter. "And in the diplomatic corps we take proxy responsibilities very seriously." She didn't know just how much Jamie depended on me to keep her safe. She didn't know I would do anything in my power to keep her out of trouble and from getting killed. She especially didn't know how much I wanted to protect her, just as much or even more than Jamie.

The song ended and we stopped moving but I couldn't let go of her, not yet. Not when she was in my arms like this. I really enjoyed dancing with her and wanted to let her know just how much I appreciated it.

"Grace, I …" I started. I made the mistake of looking up because I zoned in on my father. He was still all the way across the room but the expression on his face was unmistakable. I abruptly let go of Grace and started scanning the room, looking for the closest escape route. I spotted a large, sweeping staircase nearby and figured that was my best bet.

"What was –"

"I must go, Grace," I interrupted. "Excuse me." I wanted to say more but my father was rapidly elbowing his way through the crowd. I quickly bowed then pushed away from Grace just as the string quartet started playing again.

"You really have a hard time making up your mind, you know?" Grace called out. I wished I could turn around and apologize to her. I wanted to hold in her my arms and tell her how beautiful she looked but I couldn't. Not without getting in even more trouble with my father. I booked it for the staircase and sprinted my way up the stairs, not daring to look behind me as I ran.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think will happen to Alexei?**

 **Please note that I will be changing my upload schedule. School started this week for me and I am already crazy busy with studying. As much as I love writing fanfiction, school always has been and always will be my first priority. Instead of uploading a new chapter every other day, I will upload 2, maybe 3, chapters a week. I won't be following a strict upload schedule but I'll upload a new chapter when I have time. Basically, I'll be uploading a new chapter on random days about 2 or 3 times a week. Hopefully, you shouldn't have to wait more than 4 days for a new chapter. However, you don't have to worry about this fanfic being unfinished because all the chapters have been written and just need to be edited (which takes a lot longer than I realized) before I post them. Let me know what you think of these changes to the upload schedule.**


	8. Chapter 8 - She Really Is Crazy

**Here's the second long chapter out of five! Thank you for your patience with my revised upload schedule. Hopefully, once I am able to find a balance between schoolwork and fanfiction, my upload schedule will become more regular.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Eight: She Really Is Crazy

I was out of breath when I reached the landing of the staircase but didn't dare stop. I didn't think I had ever sprinted so fast in my life. However, I forced myself to keep going down the long hallway as I heard footsteps on the staircase behind me. I passed life-sized portraits of former kings and queens and massive rooms as I sprinted down the hallway, desperate to get away from my father. I froze when I heard voices speaking in Adrian in the hallway. That was a mistake. I heard my father catching up to me. He was yelling at me in Russian and I pushed myself to run faster. I wanted to turn the corner but my father was quickly approaching and I couldn't act quickly enough. I was forced to run straight, through a set of French doors, and right out onto a private balcony. Before I knew what was happening, my father tackled me onto the floor. I hit the ground hard, getting the wind knocked out of me. My breath came in quick, frantic gasps as I was forced to look into my father's seething eyes.

"What the hell were you doing?!" my father roared. I winced under his tight grip. He had me pinned to the floor and I knew there was no getting out of this. If I tried to struggle under his grip and escape, he would only push me down harder.

"I leave for what, half an hour, and I come back to see you fraternizing with the American girl? I trusted you to stay away from her and you went behind my back. Tell me, in what way did you think that was acceptable?" my father asked. His face was so close to mine and I could smell the cigarette smoke on his breath.

"It was only one dance! I was just trying to be friendly," I managed to get out. My father glared at me.

"How could dancing with the American girl be friendly in any way?"

"I thought that by dancing with her, it would show everyone that Russia and the United States were able to rekindle their relationship after the disastrous tree-planting ceremony." It was a pretty damn good lie, one that I had thought would please my father.

"Or show everyone that you're incredibly stupid," my father said, shutting me down. "Too much has happened between Russia and the United States for us to have a good relationship. We never were and never will be friends or allies with the United States. Did I make myself clear?"

"Yes, but does it really have to be that way?" I asked, in a rare show of defiance. "Grace is my friend; why should I be prevented from being friends with her because of her ethnicity? Centuries-old relationships between countries shouldn't have any effect on my friendships."

"What kind of lies has that girl filled your head with? I have taught you about the importance of diplomatic relations many times. How many times do I have to tell you that diplomatic affairs have everything to do with friendships? What if Russia and the United States were to go to war again? How would you maintain your friendship with that American girl then?" My father gave me a challenging look, almost like he was daring me to go against him.

"I'm not going to let diplomatic affairs dictate my friendships. I'll be friends with who I please, thank you very much." A jolt of pain suddenly flared up my groin as something slammed into it. I wanted to curl up in pain but couldn't, thanks to my father's iron grip on my arms and legs.

"Your attitude is deplorable. You are not allowed to speak to me like that. Understood?" I merely nodded, knowing that if I said anything else, I would be in more trouble. My father's eyes were seething. If looks could kill, then I definitely would have died in that instant. It was impossible not to feel the anger radiating off my father. I had no doubt that he had kneed me in the groin for talking back to him.

"You disappoint me," my father said, glaring down at me. "Surely, I thought you would have understood the importance of diplomatic affairs by now but your illicit friendship with the American girl has clearly corrupted your mind. From now on, whenever you are going out, you will report to me when you are leaving and returning. You will tell me who you're out with and where you're going. I do not want to see you going to the American embassy ever again. Is that clear?"

"Yes, father," I replied. Normally, he didn't care enough to want to know who I hung out with and where I went. However, I guess being friends with Grace changed everything.

"Do you mean it? Will you cut off all ties with the American girl and stay away from the American embassy?"

"Yes. I will stay away from her, no matter what." My father eyed me, as if trying to determine if I was lying or telling the truth. Then, he released his iron grip on me and stood up.

"If I ever see you with her again, then your punishment will not be light. Understood?"

"Yes, father." I stood up and brushed off my suit. My father suddenly came up in front of me, thrusting his hand into my pants pocket.

"I am taking this for the night. I expect you to use that distraction-free time to think about your actions and reflect on how wrong you have been," my father said, holding up my phone. I simply nodded at him, keeping my face emotionless. Sure, it sucked not having my phone but I could survive just fine without it, unlike Tanner, who was addicted to social media and was practically glued to his phone.

"Good. Now that we've sorted that out, we should head back to the ball," my father said. He looked at me expectantly, as if he was waiting for me to follow him. However, I stayed put.

"I think I'll stay up here for a bit. The fresh air is nice," I replied. My father just eyed me suspiciously then turned around without another word. Once I could no longer hear my father's footsteps, I took a deep breath. The night air was cold and refreshing, smelling of summer and happy memories. It calmed me down and helped me clear my head. Although my father begged to differ, I certainly did not regret dancing with Grace. I loved being able to hold her in my arms. It made me feel like I could protect her from anything that would try to harm her.

I didn't know how long I stayed up there, breathing in the night air. It was extremely peaceful, staring out at the night sky and the sea, thinking about everything and nothing. I felt myself calming down as I admired how beautiful Valancia was at night. At some point, it started raining but I didn't mind. I had always enjoyed the sound of the rain and the smell of the streets after a good rainfall.

Suddenly, I realized that I didn't want to go back to the ball. All the obnoxious people and the almost overwhelming noise didn't seem appealing anymore after the serene peace out on the balcony. I walked back through the set of French doors, into the palace. I turned the corner this time, heading further away from the ballroom. After a bit of exploring, I managed to get out through a side exit. I instantly felt calm again after stepping outside. With nowhere else to go, I decided to walk home. I didn't see a point in staying at the party, not when I'd have to fake a smile and act like nothing was wrong. Besides, no one would notice that I was missing. After all, I was just an unimportant embassy kid.

When I was halfway to the Russian embassy, a limo passed me. It looked like it was coming from the direction of the palace. That was odd because the party wasn't due to end for another hour or two. My curiosity peaked even more when the limo suddenly stopped and a girl ran out. With a start, I realized it was Grace. She was barefoot and holding up the skirt of her now-ripped dress. I wondered how she lost her shoes and ripped her dress but either way, something bad must have happened to her. I picked up my pace to a speedwalk so I could keep an eye on Grace. After all, it was what Jamie would have wanted me to do.

Grace didn't seem to notice I had seen her. I watched in horror as she slammed herself against a wall and slid down to the ground. She looked like she was about to start crying, given the way she was gasping for air. She closed her eyes and her face soon became filled with agony. I had an eerie sense of déjà vu and realized I had seen her like this before, when I visited her in the American embassy. Except this was much worse.

"No!" I looked up, wondering where that scream had come from. I peered up and down the street, to see if anyone else was out.

"My mother, she's dying!" The scream came from the same voice, but louder. I looked around the streets again, wondering if there was a drunk who was screaming. However, the streets were deserted, except for Grace and I. With a start, I realized the screams must have come from Grace. Something was definitely wrong with her.

"Grace?" I tentatively asked. She looked up at me as I slowly moved towards the curb.

"Grace, are you okay?" I tried again. She moved backward, as if she wanted to get away from me. I realized that she was crying, causing my heart to start aching for her. I wished I could take away her pain, so that she wouldn't have to hurt like this. She pushed herself off the sidewalk and started limping down the street. It looked like she was in physical and emotional pain. I realized I couldn't bear to see her like this much longer and knew I had to do something to help her.

"Grace, stop," I said, as I sprinted across the street. I stopped in front of her, trying to block her path. She pushed past me, like she was determined to get by.

"Go away," Grace said, almost like she didn't want me to help her.

"No. What is wrong with you?" I was going to help her, whether she wanted me to or not. I wasn't going to leave her on her own, not in such a bedraggled state.

"My feet hurt. High heels – they're even worse than advertised." I appreciated her effort to lighten up the situation but I could tell more than just her feet was bothering her. The streetlights flickered, causing Grace to jump. I had no idea how the streetlights could have possibly scared her. Maybe it was just the sudden movement. Or maybe it was something else, something deeper. Either way, she didn't look like she was in any mood to talk about it.

"Here." I took off my tuxedo jacket and placed it around her shoulders, in what I hoped was a comforting gesture. Initially, it looked like she didn't want it but she soon relented, sinking into my jacket.

"Where did you go tonight? Why did you leave?" I asked. I took her arm, to make sure that she wouldn't try to escape as I tried to figure out what happened with her.

"Me?" Grace snapped, surprising me. "You're the one who disappeared! You went upstairs. Were you there?" I hesitated, surprised by her sudden outburst. "Answer me, Alexei! Were you with him?"

"With who?" I asked. At first, I thought she meant my father but soon realized she must have been talking about someone else. I quickly changed the subject, hoping that would calm her down.

"Let's get you home. We have to –"

"I'm not crazy!" Her screams were so loud that it caused dogs to start barking and lights to go on in nearby windows. However, she kept going, as if unaware of the commotion she was causing. "You want to hear that, right? I mean that's what they told you. That's why Jamie is so worried about his crazy kid sister. Because – news flash – _she really is crazy_." She said that last part so softly, that I wasn't sure if I heard her right. She certainly didn't seem crazy to me. Maybe damaged and broken, but definitely not crazy.

"Guess what, Valancia!" Grace shouted. "The fire wasn't an accident! My mother didn't die from smoke! Did you hear that, Alexei?" She gave me a devilish look, almost like she was taunting me with her words. "She was murdered. She was shot." I started reconsidering my previous thoughts about her not being crazy. What was going on with her?

"Grace, come on. Let's get you home," I said, looking at her warily, not sure what to think of her. If I hadn't known better, I would have thought she had been drinking, given the way her words kept slurring and how she kept shouting nonsense. However, there was something about her appearance and her tone of voice that made me realize something much bigger was responsible for her actions. With the wild, crazed look in her eyes, I was almost afraid of her. One, for not acting like the Grace I had always known, and two, for saying all those things about her mother's death that might actually hold some truth. The official story was that Grace's mother had died in a tragic fire. I had always questioned that story because something didn't seem right about it. However, I went along with it since there was nothing better to go by. Now, with everything that Grace was spouting, I wasn't sure what to believe anymore.

"She was murdered, Alexei," Grace said softly. My tuxedo jacket fell off her thin shoulders, landing like a puddle in the street. I bent over to pick it up, folding it over my arm. "She was. She really was. And I saw the man who killed her." Suddenly, her breath started coming in gasps and I realized that she was nowhere near recovered. In fact, it looked like she had gotten worse.

"I saw him," Grace said, as I put my arms around her, to steady her.

"What happened tonight, Grace?" I pleaded, my voice coming out in a whisper. I just wanted to know what had happened, so I could help her calm down.

"I saw him!" I seriously wondered what she had seen tonight, to send her into overdrive. I had never seen her in this frenzy, panicked state and quite frankly, it scared me.

"Jamie told me what you think you saw –"

"He was there. He's here. I saw him." I had no idea who this 'he' was but he seemed to be the source of Grace's nightmares. My arms automatically tightened around her as she started falling. I swept her up in my arms and felt her curl into my chest. She was shaking so hard, causing me to tighten my grip on her. I had no idea what was happening with her but hoped she would be able to calm down in my arms. I started whispering comforting things to her in Russian, hoping it would calm her down. However, she started going limp in my arms, a sure sign she was going to faint. I started walking again, hoping to get her back to the American embassy before she passed out.

"He's here," Grace said, so quietly that I barely heard her.

"Shh, calm down, everything's going to be alright," I quietly whispered. However, she felt limp in my arms, like she had already passed out. I started running as fast as I dared, with Grace still in my arms, all the way to the American embassy. She was heavier than she looked and I did my best to hold her still. When I reached the gates of the American embassy, the guards immediately let me in, without second thought.

"The ambassador's suite is right by the main staircase. There's a sitting room with a bed. You can take her in there," one of the guards said, leading me inside.

"Thank you," I said, making my way up the main staircase. The guard trailed behind me, eyeing me warily. It didn't surprise me that he'd be suspicious of me; after all, I technically wasn't supposed to be here. My accent alone made that obvious enough.

"First door on the right," the guard instructed, as I reached the landing. "Can't miss it. I'll let the ambassador know that you've brought his granddaughter here."

"Alright, thank you," I replied. I carefully maneuvered Grace in my arms so that I could open the door to the sitting room. I turned on the lights, squinting at how bright the room was. There was a door at the other end of the room. I opened it to find a small bed. I gently set Grace down on the bed and laid my tuxedo jacket over her.

As I sat down next to her on the bed, I couldn't help but notice how calm and peaceful she looked, a far cry from her earlier frenzied state. Her makeup was smudged from crying but that didn't detract how beautiful she looked to me. Tonight, in her beautiful pink ball gown, she almost looked like a princess.

Even though it would have been wise to leave, I couldn't, not after seeing Grace in that horrible frenzied, panicked state. I couldn't just leave her on her own. I had to make sure she was safe, even if that meant trespassing in enemy territory. Besides, I had to stay to explain the situation to Grace's grandfather.

It looked like I still had a while before the American ambassador was due to return and figured there was no harm in getting comfortable. I untied my tie and undid the buttons at the cuffs of my dress shirt, rolling the sleeves up to my elbows. I gently held Grace's hand and squeezed it, to let her know that everything would be alright. I started stroking her cheek with my other hand, whispering sweet things to her in Russian.

"Excuse me, what on Earth do you think you're doing in here?" I turned around at the sound of the shrill voice and looked straight into the eyes of Ambassador Vincent and Ms. Chancellor. I immediately stood up, taking my hands off of Grace. Ambassador Vincent just raised his eyebrows at me before gesturing towards the sitting room. I followed them out, leaving the door open just a touch, so I could check on Grace if needed.

"Fancy seeing you here, young man," Ambassador Vincent said, turning to face me.

"Ambassador Vincent, I didn't mean any harm. Grace was out on the street in this panicked, frenzy state and I thought it was best to bring her here," I started.

"My gosh, how did Grace end up like that on the street?" Ms. Chancellor asked, shooting daggers at me.

"She ran out of a limo, crying and gasping for air. She sat down on the street, looking distraught. I was walking home at the time and saw her. I talked to her and tried to calm her down but she kept shouting nonsense. She eventually passed out and I brought her back to the embassy. One of the guards escorted me in here," I said. Ambassador Vincent and Ms. Chancellor just exchanged a look.

"She seemed just fine at the party. She did an excellent job talking to everyone," Ambassador Vincent said.

"That was before she ran off. When she came back, she looked like she had seen a ghost," Ms. Chancellor said.

"Then why did she run off in the first place?" Ambassador Vincent said, raising his voice slightly.

"I believe that may have been my fault, sir," I said meekly. Both Ambassador Vincent and Ms. Chancellor glared at me. I looked down ashamed. "I decided to dance with her, against my father's wishes. My father saw us dancing and I took off, without any explanation."

"Knowing Grace, she'd want to follow you," Ambassador Vincent said.

"I'm thinking she did follow me and ended up seeing something that may have freaked her out. When I was out with her on the street, she kept saying she saw a man," I said. The ambassador and Ms. Chancellor exchanged a frantic look, like something bad had happened. I suddenly remembered those voices I had heard, talking in Adrian, in the upstairs hallway at the palace. What if Grace had seen one of those men? Was it possible that one of those men haunted her nightmares?

"Someone should have brought her home," Ambassador Vincent said, shaking his head.

"We tried," Ms. Chancellor explained. "Noah said he would escort her, but she left him at the palace."

"Is she hurt?" Ambassador Vincent asked, looking right at me. I wasn't sure how to answer him. Grace didn't seem physically hurt, aside from the sore feet she joked about. However, she seemed very mentally and emotionally hurt to me.

"Is she?" he pressed. I hesitated before answering, trying to find the right words to describe how I felt.

"I don't know. I've never seen Grace like that. She was not herself," I said honestly. A realization suddenly hit me.

"She's turned into the monster that Jamie was scared of her becoming," I mumbled in Russian, the pieces fitting together in my head. Going into that frenzied, panicked state. Screaming about her mother's death. Swearing she had seen a man who was the very source of her nightmares. She had been turning into a monster, the very thing that Jamie couldn't protect her from.

"I have to tell Jamie," I said, switching back to English. Although Jamie didn't tell me much about their mother's death and what happened with Grace after that, he had admitted that he was scared he couldn't protect Grace from everything that would dare to hurt her. He made me promise that if Grace ever started acting crazy and very unlike herself, I would tell him. I didn't think that would ever happen but today proved me wrong. Very wrong.

"No!" Ambassador Vincent snapped.

"He is my best friend, sir. It is my duty," I said. There was no way I could go back on my promise to Jamie. He always wanted to protect her but her demons were the one thing he couldn't protect her from. To him, it was even more important than protecting her from physical trouble. I had to let him know.

"I know it feels that way, young man," Ambassador Vincent said, with a softer tone. "But, please, let us handle it. Her father … well, we all thought the worst of it was over."

"With all due respect, sir," I said slowly. I was suddenly scared, wondering exactly what Grace had gone through. "The worst of _what_?"

"Grace has had a difficult time of it, young man," Ambassador Vincent said, coming around to give me a slap on the back. That slap was like a harsh wake-up call, making me see that maybe Grace was crazier than I thought she was. Maybe her demons had taken over her mind and worst of all, I was powerless to stop it. So was Jamie, Ambassador Vincent, and everyone else who tried to help Grace. I paled as I realized that no matter how hard I, or anyone else, tried, we couldn't stop Grace from reliving her worst nightmares. Regardless of what we did, we would be unable to reach inside her head and pull out all of her painful memories.

"She's not the same Gracie who used to tag after you and Jamie, I'm afraid," Ambassador Vincent continued.

"Yeah, seeing your mother murdered in front of your eyes will do that." I turned around and was shocked to see Grace standing in the doorway. I hadn't realized she had woken up. Now that she was standing, I saw just how tattered and ripped her dress was. Paired with her smudged makeup, she quite literally looked like she had just returned from Hell. Ambassador Vincent and Ms. Chancellor were just as shocked but Ms. Chancellor recovered the quickest, spinning to face Grace.

"Grace. We thought you were –"

"Unconscious? Insane?" Grace offered.

"Resting, dear," Ms. Chancellor said. She started towards Grace but suddenly stopped. "You should be resting."

"I saw him tonight, Grandpa. I saw the man who killed her. The man with the scar. He was there. He was at the palace and … I saw him," Grace said, looking right at her grandfather. She took a deep breath before continuing. "I saw the man who killed my mother." I was unable to move or speak. I suddenly felt afraid, realizing that maybe Grace had started to turn into a monster. I heard her say those things earlier, when I was out on the street with her. Initially, I had dismissed them as panic-induced delusions, but now, hearing her say those same things with such sureness and confidence, I was scared. It was as if her demons had taken her over and turned her into someone I didn't recognize. She almost didn't seem like the same girl I had danced with just a few hours ago.

"Somebody say something!" Grace shouted. Ambassador Vincent turned toward me, taking my hand and shaking it.

"Thank you for bringing her home, young man. We will see to Grace from here," Ambassador Vincent said. It was clear that I had overstayed my welcome, especially since I shouldn't have been in the American embassy in the first place. I knew I should have headed home before my father wondered where I was but I couldn't move. It felt wrong to leave Grace here, where I couldn't protect her. I almost felt this need to be by her side twenty-four seven, to ensure that she'd stay out of trouble and that nothing could possibly harm her.

"It's okay," Grace said. "I'm fine." She most definitely was not fine and everyone knew it, especially after everything that had happened today. However, no one bothered to argue with her. I simply walked to the door of the sitting room, to make my way back home.

"Good night, everyone," I said, looking at Ambassador Vincent, Ms. Chancellor, and finally, Grace. My eyes stayed on her for just a second, taking her in before I had to leave her to fight her demons on her own. "Sleep well."

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! This was one of the hardest chapters to write because I wasn't sure what Alexei would know about Grace's past. I also wanted to make sure that Alexei would react appropriately to Grace. What do you think happens next? Do you think Alexei will get in more trouble with his father?**


	9. Chapter 9 - Knight in Shining Armour

**Here's the third long chapter out of five! I feel like this chapter is a little more boring than the others but the next few chapters will include a bit more action.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Nine: Knight in Shining Armour

I retraced my steps through the American embassy, making my way out the main entrance and through the gates. I nodded at the guards, bidding them good night as I headed back home. I saw a limo rolling through the gates of the Russian embassy. It looked like my father and the ambassador had just gotten home from the ball. Sure enough, the limo parked by the curb and two figures climbed out of it.

"Alexei, I assumed you were already home, since you didn't show up at the party again," my father said, turning towards me.

"I stayed out on the balcony for a bit then walked home," I replied. That wasn't entirely a lie. However, my father glared at me, a sure sign he wanted to continue this conversation in private. He said good night to the ambassador then turned back towards me. I followed my father up to his office, feeling a sense of déjà vu. This felt very much like the other night, when I had gotten caught for sneaking out to the cliff-top party. Once we were inside his office, my father immediately turned on me.

"You were walking out of the American embassy. I can only assume you were up to no good in there, with the American girl," my father said, glaring at me.

"She was gasping for air and crying out on the street. I was the only other person out there. I had to help her and bring her back to the American embassy," I argued. My father muttered something under his breath then turned his attention back to me.

"How did she even end up on the street in the first place?"

"She wasn't feeling well at the ball and got in a limo to go home. The limo passed me and I saw her walk out crying."

"The limo driver could have helped her." My father had an incredulous look on his face.

"They immediately drove away so I don't think they had any intentions of helping her."

"Then, why did you?" my father asked, giving me a hard glare. Because I care about her, I automatically thought. However, I very well couldn't say that to my father.

"After all, I very specifically told you to make an effort to stay away from her. Yet, it seems like you went out of your way to help her," my father continued, like he was taunting me. My self-control suddenly snapped, leaving me unable to hold in my emotions.

"I was the only other person there on the street!" I shouted. My father looked at me, no doubt surprised by my sudden outburst but I kept going. "I had to help her! I wasn't going to leave her on the street alone, especially with an unclear state of mind. What if something had happened to her because I wasn't there to help her? What if she had gotten critically injured in her panicked state? What if she had gotten kidnapped or murdered? Imagine how that would affect the reputation of the American embassy." My father contemplated this for a moment before speaking again.

"I suppose you have a point," my father started. "However, I didn't see why you had to stay at the American embassy. You could have just dropped her off and left."

"I had to stay, to explain the situation to the American ambassador. After all, I brought Grace to the American embassy. I had to stay to make sure she was okay," I said, trying hard to keep my emotions in control. My father just gave me a disappointed look and shook his head.

"Alexei, you are far too soft sometimes. I believe that's preventing you from staying away from the American girl," my father said. Tanner and Jordan certainly did not think I was soft. They thought I was a major hardass sometimes. It seriously made me wonder just how cold-hearted and emotionless my father was.

"You need to learn to control your emotions. You should not be having any sort of feelings for the American girl. It's only going to bring you down. Understood?" my father said, looking at me pointedly. I couldn't but hear a double meaning in his words. Was he implying that he thought I had a crush on Grace? I hadn't even completely worked out my feelings for her so I wasn't even sure if I could call it that. If anything, I just really wanted to protect her, not like an older sibling would, but more like I'd fight with everything I had to keep her safe.

"Yes, father," I replied automatically.

"I hope you'll take my words seriously for once. I'm only trying to help you become a better person." Yeah right. My father was basically trying to turn me into a clone of himself. There was no way I was going to turn into a cruel, heartless man like him. "I mean it. Getting involved with the American girl is only going to end in flames. You don't need someone like her in your life. I'm hoping you'll be able to come to that realization on your own."

"I will." I tried my hardest to sound like I didn't care about Grace even though that was far from the truth.

"Do you mean it?"

"Yes, I do."

"I'll take your word on this for now. I can only hope that you will prove yourself through your actions later."

"I mean what I said. I will stay away from Grace and cut off all ties with her. I will not let you down," I said, putting as much certainty as I could into the lie. There was no way I could stay away from Grace, given how much I cared about her. I could only hope that I'd be able to please my father while finding ways to check on Grace and make sure she was okay.

My father stared at me hard, as if trying to figure out if I was lying. I returned his gaze, looking into his hard, emotionless eyes. After a moment, he nodded, indicating that he believed me, for now.

"You can head to your room now. It's been a long night," my father said curtly. He pulled my phone out of his pocket but made no motion to give it to me. "Based on your actions tonight, I will be keeping this for a few more days. However, the non-stop buzzing is really starting to irritate me. It's been doing that for the past couple of hours. Can you silence it?" He handed my phone to me. I unlocked it and found a plethora of texts from Tanner. I sighed as I silenced my phone. I saw another incoming text from Tanner before my father snatched my phone out of my hands.

" _BRO PLZ! GET ON FB OR SMTHNG! WTF HAPPENED 2 U?!_ " Honestly, I loved the guy as a friend but he seriously had no chill sometimes.

"Good night," I said to my father. He simply nodded at me. I walked out of his office and headed back to my room. Once inside, I took off my dress shoes and grabbed my laptop, not bothering to turn the lights on. I booted it up and made myself comfortable on my bed. I logged into Facebook and clicked on the group chat I had with Tanner and Jordan.

" _calm down guys, I made it back home. everythings fine_ " I typed.

" _OMG UR ALIVE!_ " Tanner replied almost immediately.

" _where did u go? U just disappeared after dancing with that American chick and never returned_ " Tanner replied.

" _btw why arent u answering ur phone?_ " Tanner replied, shamelessly triple-messaging me. He was pretty well-known for sending more than one text at a time.

" _long story bro. ill explain later. Basically led 2 my father taking my phone away_ " I typed.

" _noooo bro I need 2 know now! And srsly thats so not fair_ " Tanner replied.

" _can it wait til later? Im so tired rn_ " I replied.

" _damn that sucks about ur phone_ " Jordan typed, his icon appearing in the group chat. " _btw im with alexei. im so beat from 2day and I dont think I can stay up much longer. How about breakfast at starbucks 2mrrw at 9?_ "

" _sounds good_ " I replied.

" _im down_ " Tanner replied. I pushed my laptop closer to my pillow, so I'd have room to lie down. I closed my eyes, just intending to lie there for a moment or two before I showered. However, I immediately drifted off into a deep sleep, all intentions of showering forgotten.

When I opened my eyes again, my room was bright, with morning sunlight streaming in. My laptop was still sitting where I had left it the night before. Sitting up, I rubbed my eyes. I looked down, cursing in Russian when I saw I had fallen asleep in my formal clothes. I must have been more tired than I realized. I looked over at my alarm clock and slightly panicked when I saw the time. 8:45 a.m. I had fifteen minutes to get ready and get over to Starbucks. I stripped off my formal clothes and quickly showered. I pulled on a t-shirt and shorts, slipped my feet into my trusty black Converse then grabbed my wallet.

I started to head downstairs, to the main entrance of the embassy. At the last second, I remembered I had to tell my father if I was leaving. Sighing, I turned around and headed over to his office, hoping he'd be in there. I really didn't want to waste any time looking for him in a meeting, just to tell him where I was going. I knocked on the door to my father's office, hoping for the best.

"Come in," my father called out, with a gruff tone. I sighed in relief and opened the door.

"I'm going out for breakfast at Starbucks with Tanner and Jordan," I said. My father nodded. However, I could tell he didn't look very happy about it, if the way he eyed me suspiciously was any indication.

"What time are you coming back?"

"I'm not sure."

"Very well then. I expect to see you back here before lunch," my father stated, turning his attention back to his paperwork. I took that as my cue to leave, shutting the door behind me. Once out of the embassy, I ran over to Starbucks, managing to make it there in fifteen minutes. I found Tanner and Jordan sitting at a corner table right by the window and made my way over there.

"Looks like Sleeping Beauty finally decided to show up," Tanner said, with a grin. I glared at him and slumped down in my seat, feeling a sudden wave of tiredness hit me. Last night's events must have worn me out more than I realized.

"In all seriousness, you did fall asleep on us in the group chat," Jordan said, taking a sip of his coffee.

"And you're always the one complaining about how we fall asleep on you," Tanner seconded.

"So sorry for needing sleep like a normal human being," I said sarcastically. I was so not in the mood to deal with them poking fun at me.

"Hey, it's cool, it happens to the best of us," Jordan said, with a shrug. "By the way, I got you something. Thought it might help with the fatigue." He pushed a large Starbucks cup towards me. I took it cautiously, feeling the heat through the cup. "Venti Caffè Americano. There's three shots of espresso in there. If that doesn't wake you up, then I don't know what will."

"You know I'm not a coffee person but thanks anyways," I said. I took a small sip and was immediately hit with a strong, rich coffee taste. Normally, I didn't like anything coffee-related, instead, turning to smoothies and protein shakes for an energy boost. However, I relished in the creamy, lingering texture of the espresso, feeling more awake with each sip.

"Got you your favourite," Tanner said, sliding a wrapped package towards me. I opened it to find my favourite breakfast wrap, spinach and feta. I took a bite of it, savouring its heavenly taste. "By the way, these hors d'oeuvres from the ball last night are all yours." Tanner slid a large plastic bag to me.

"Thanks." I took the bag and placed it on the floor.

"No problem. So now that we've got you all happy with food, can you please tell us what happened to you last night?"

"First of all, what the hell happened to bro code?" I snapped, sounding way harsher than intended. "Weren't you supposed to be looking out for my father and giving me a heads up if you saw him?" Tanner and Jordan both looked down guiltily.

"Sorry, man, we tried," Jordan said.

"But your dad came in so quickly and so suddenly that we didn't even realize he was there until you already spotted him. We tried warning you but it was kinda pointless since you were already making your getaway," Tanner said.

"You could have tried to distract my father or something," I muttered. "Even a five-second interaction would have given me enough time to get a safe distance away from Grace."

"Sorry, man, but do you really think I'd wanna talk to a pissed-off Russian?" Jordan asked.

"You're talking to one right now," I deadpanned, not bothering to hide my annoyance.

"He means a pissed-off Russian that's super intimidating like your dad," Tanner clarified. "Though to be honest, you're pretty intimidating too when you're pissed off." A low growl of contempt escaped my throat, emphasizing Tanner's point.

"Calm down, bro, we weren't trying to upset you or anything," Jordan said, holding up his hands in apology. "I'm guessing things didn't go well with your dad after he saw you with that American chick?"

"Are you kidding me?" I replied sarcastically. "He chased me up onto the second floor and out onto this private balcony. Then, he tackled me to the ground and yelled at me for being with Grace. After that, he took my phone away and I walked home."

"That explains why you literally just vanished," Tanner said. "How was that 'walk of shame' home after getting chewed out by your dad?"

"I ran into Grace," I said, my voice devoid of emotion.

"So you two were able to kiss and make up?"

"As if. She ran out of a limo and onto the street, crying and panicking. She kept gasping for air and screaming about nonsense. I had no idea why she was doing that but I tried to calm her down, or as best as I could until she passed out." Tanner and Jordan just stared at me in stunned silence.

"Wow, that's intense. Sounds like a panic attack to me," Jordan said. Was that what Grace had been suffering from this whole time? Panic attacks? From what I remembered from our mental health unit in health class, panic attacks could be triggered by virtually anything and had a wide range of symptoms that varied from person to person. Until Grace herself told me what had caused her frenzied, panicked state last night, there was no way for me to know if it had been a panic attack.

"So you suddenly went from rebel child to knight in shining armour?" Tanner asked.

"Not exactly. I carried her back to the American embassy but her grandfather was less than thrilled about that," I replied.

"Shouldn't the guy at least be a little grateful that you saved his granddaughter's life?" Jordan muttered.

"Nah, things are so tense between the US and Russia that not even saving someone's life can resolve our issues," I replied.

"Well, then you all need to stop being so heartless and start appreciating life for all its fragile, delicate worth," Tanner said, sounding strangely philosophical.

"Try telling that to a bunch of emotionless Russians," I said sarcastically.

"Like your father?" Jordan said.

"Exactly like my father. I got in even more trouble after, for helping Grace on the street," I said.

"Damn, what is wrong with you Russians?" Tanner said, shaking his head. "You all need to lighten up a bit and stop being so cold."

"Then you'd have nothing to make fun of me for," I said, raising an eyebrow. Both Tanner and Jordan loved poking fun at my Russian ethnicity and making jokes out of Russian stereotypes. It annoyed me but I always got them back with a good punch.

"Relax, bro, we'd find other things to make fun of you for," Jordan said.

"Like your obsession with that American chick," Tanner finished. I almost spat out my drink in surprise.

"First off, her name is Grace. I'd appreciate it if you stopped calling her 'the American chick'," I said, feeling ticked off. "And secondly, I am _not_ obsessed with her."

"Yeah right. You're getting all defensive. If that's not obsessed, then I don't know what is," Tanner said.

"I'm not getting defensive. I'm just protecting her. After all, her brother asked me to," I retorted.

"Okay, so maybe you started protecting her because big brother said so but now, you're protecting her because you want to be her knight in shining armour," Jordan theorized. I felt a blush slowly creeping its way onto my cheeks.

"Ooh, you _so_ like her!" Tanner exclaimed, a little too loudly. Some of the other customers turned towards us, frowning at the commotion we were making. I glared at Tanner too, for making my girl drama known to the whole world.

"But in all seriousness, who knew you were the kind of guy who fantasized about being a girl's knight in shining armour?" Jordan mused.

"That's not what I'd expect from an emotionless Russian like you," Tanner added.

"Gee thanks," I muttered. However, I kind of did like the idea of being Grace's knight in shining armour. I really would protect her with my life, as long as it meant that she'd be out of harm's way.

"Then again, let's not forget the way you were looking at her last night because damn, if that's not the look of a guy in love, then I don't know what is," Tanner said, a mischievous grin on his face. I suddenly started feeling very afraid for my life as Tanner grabbed his phone and clicked through it.

"Please don't tell me you took a picture of me without my consent," I said warily.

"That's exactly what I did," Tanner said, his grin spreading wider across his face.

"Although I think you'll like this pic," Jordan said, as Tanner handed me his phone. I looked down at Tanner's phone. It was open to a picture of me and Grace at the ball last night. We were dancing, our faces captured in profile as we looked at each other. My face was lit up with a small smile as I spun her around the dance floor. Even in the photo, the look in my eyes was obvious; I adored Grace and wanted nothing more than to hold her in my arms. As I stared down at the photo, I couldn't help the small smile that crept onto my face, as I thought of how amazing it was to dance with her.

"Aww, looks like our boy has finally accepted that he's in love," Tanner said.

"Slow down there, let's not call it love just yet," I said, handing Tanner's phone back to him. "Although maybe I like her a little bit."

"Just a little bit? It's okay to admit it and say you like her a lot, bro," Jordan said. I simply shook my head.

"Fine, or you can be a stoic Russian who refuses to accept his emotions, that's cool too," Tanner said sarcastically, as he clicked around on his phone. "By the way, I'm sending you that pic whether you like it or not." I was about to protest when he spoke again. "That way, you can print it out and stare at it all you want."

"Or frame it and keep it on your bedside table," Jordan suggested.

"Oh please, I would not do that," I said. Although, to be honest, I did like Tanner's suggestion. Maybe I would print that photo out and keep it in my wallet, along with the photo I had of my mother and I, before she disappeared.

"Sure sure, that's what they all say," Tanner started.

"And then they fall even more in love," Jordan said, finishing Tanner's sentence. I just rolled my eyes. After we finished our food, we walked out onto the streets of Valancia. As usual, downtown Valancia was filled with a mix of locals and tourists. We made our way down to the seaside marketplace, filled with stalls selling all sorts of foods, souvenirs, and merchandise. I wandered over to a stall selling pins of the embassy flags. I idly picked up the American flag pin and examined it.

"You should buy something for Grace," Jordan said, coming up behind me.

"It would give you a legit reason to see her," Tanner added.

"Not when I'm supposed to be staying away from her at all costs," I said, trying to keep the sadness out of my voice.

"Dad's orders?" Jordan asked.

"What do you think?" I retorted, suppressing a sigh. I put down the American flag pin and continued strolling through the stalls with Tanner and Jordan.

"Still, it's not gonna do you any good to mope when you won't even take a chance to see her," Tanner said.

"And potentially risk my life? No thank you," I replied. If I was caught seeing Grace, there would be no limit to the punishment my father would dole out for me. I wouldn't be surprised if extreme physical torture was on the list.

"Just come up with some excuse to quickly talk to her. That way, you two can figure out plans for later," Jordan said.

"We'll come with you for moral support," Tanner added.

"Come to think of it, I did leave my tuxedo jacket with her last night," I said, recalling last night's hectic events.

"Perfect. You can head over to the American embassy and ask for her," Tanner said.

"Then, when she returns with your tuxedo jacket, you can make plans with her," Jordan continued.

"Now?" I asked.

"Of course, now. Carpe diem, seize the day, you know?" Tanner replied. My stomach dropped at the thought of going over to the American embassy and talking to Grace, especially with my father's warnings looming over my head.

"Besides, you never know when you'll get another chance to talk to her," Jordan added.

"Fine. Let's go before I regret this," I replied, annoyed that I had, yet again, given into Tanner and Jordan. We made our way over to the American embassy. I took a deep breath as I walked up to one of the guards.

"Excuse me, may I please speak to Grace?" I asked, trying not to sound nervous.

"Grace?" the guard questioned.

"The ambassador's granddaughter. Long, dirty blonde hair, brown eyes, tall for a girl," I described.

"Oh her, she went out a couple hours ago with this tall, dark-skinned, lanky kid." Damn it, that sounded like Noah. What was she doing out with him?

"Is it urgent?" the guard pressed, sensing my hesitation.

"Um, not really. I left my tuxedo jacket with Grace last night and I was wondering if she could give it back to me?"

"Sure, I'll pass it on. Can I get some contact information?"

"Alexei Volkov, Russian embassy. If my jacket is left with the guards, they'll know who to give it to." The guard tensed up when I mentioned that I was Russian although that didn't surprise me.

"Alright, I'll let the ambassador know."

"Thank you." I was met with a curt nod.

"Damn, that was a total bust," Tanner said, as we started down the sidewalk to the Russian embassy.

"Hey, at least you tried," Jordan said. "But damn, it looks like you got some competition, bro."

"No kidding. The look on your face when that guard mentioned who Grace was with was priceless," Tanner seconded.

"Very funny, guys," I replied. In all seriousness, I had no idea if Noah had feelings for Grace or if Grace had feelings for either of us. However, I did know that I did not want to get caught in a love triangle this summer.

"You better step up your game if you're to stand any chance with her," Tanner said.

"Kind of hard to do when you're totally banned from seeing her," I complained.

"You'll find a way, I know you will," Jordan said. "After all, if you're really in love with her, then nothing, not even a strict dad, will get in your way."

"I guess we'll just have to see about that," I said, with a sigh. "By the way, I should be getting home soon. My father told me to be home before lunch."

"Wow, since when did he start caring about your whereabouts?" Jordan asked.

"Since I got caught being with Grace too many times," I replied, as I forlornly looked over at the American embassy.

"Damn, that sucks," Tanner said. "So you basically gotta give a full report of where you are at all times?"

"Pretty much," I replied.

"Hopefully, that'll just be a small price to pay for getting to see your girl," Tanner said. "I mean, it's not that hard for you to sneak out of the embassy and you know it."

"I'm not going to push my luck with that just yet," I replied.

"Fair enough," Jordan said, as we stopped in front of the Russian embassy. "Anyways, we'll see you later, bro. Let us know when you get your phone back."

"Will do," I replied. They each gave me a guy hug. I headed back into the Russian embassy, nodding at the guards as I entered. I immediately headed to my father's office, to report to him that I was back. Unsurprisingly, he questioned me relentlessly, to make sure that I hadn't been with Grace. Once I had seemingly passed his round of questioning, he let me go and I headed up to my room. As I sank down into my desk chair, my eyes landed on my laptop and printer. I suddenly remembered something Tanner had said earlier. I unlocked my laptop and clicked into my Facebook messages. Sure enough, Tanner had sent me that picture of Grace and I at the ball. Acting on a whim, I saved that picture to my laptop and printed it out, before I could regret it. As I stared down at Grace and I dancing together, I couldn't help but imagine a future with her. Even if we didn't end up together, I knew I still wanted to keep her in my life as a friend. I decided that I would try my hardest to make that happen and wouldn't let anyone, not even my father, get in the way of it.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next chapter should be up between Monday night (at the earliest) and Thursday night (at the latest).**


	10. Chapter 10 - Down We Go

**Here's the fourth long chapter out of five! We're now in what I consider to be the middle part of the fanfic. Now that Grace has been introduced and her relationship with Alexei has been established, she doesn't appear much in the middle section of the book. Therefore, the next twelve or so chapters will focus on establishing Alexei's relationship with the other characters and his own issues that he'll have to deal with throughout the series. Even though Grace won't appear much for the next few chapters, there will be a lot of Tanner and Jordan, as well as all of the other characters!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Ten: Down We Go

"Light, dark, light, dark, dark, formal," I muttered to myself as I sorted my laundry. I had seriously been neglecting my laundry and needed to get it done. Normally, the housekeeping staff at the embassy would do it for the executive staff, like the ambassador and my father. Those privileges extended down to me too. However, I had started doing my own laundry for the past few years, for a greater sense of independence.

After separating my laundry into three piles, light, dark, and formal, I started doing a pocket check. Normally, I was pretty good at not leaving anything in my pockets but I always checked my pockets anyways, just to be sure. As expected, all my pockets were empty in the clothes in the light and dark piles. I quickly moved onto the formal pile. I grabbed my tuxedo jacket and checked the pockets. Nothing there. Next, I checked the pockets of my school uniform pants and found nothing, as expected. I grabbed the dress pants that I had worn to the ball and checked the pockets. My hand brushed against something unfamiliar. Feeling a tinge of surprise, I pulled the unfamiliar object out of my pocket. Memories from the ball instantly came back to me as I realized what I had so negligently left in my pants pocket. The stack of papers that my mother had left for me. I had kind of forgotten about them after everything that happened the night of the ball. However, Princess Ann's words came flooding back to me as I turned the stack of papers over in my hand. _Read them in private and destroy them once you've read them._

One part of me didn't want to read those papers, for fear of discovering something life-changing and dangerous. My life had already changed enough with Grace arriving in Adria. I didn't need more haunting secrets from the past to destroy my life even more. However, another part of me wanted to read those papers over and over until I had committed them to memory. I wanted to know what my mother so desperately wanted to tell me all those years ago. My heart instantly cried out at the thought of my mother, even though my head reminded me that she had done me wrong by leaving me. It had been so long since I had seen her and I wished she could be here, in person, explaining everything to me instead of leaving a bunch of papers for me to read and figure out on my own. I would give anything for her to be here right now, but unfortunately, this stack of papers was the only part of her I'd ever get.

Letting my curiosity and my longing for my mother get the better of me, I checked that my bedroom door was locked. Then, I settled down on the floor again, preparing myself for the secrets I could potentially discover. I carefully untied the ribbon holding the papers together. It fell apart easily, being worn and frayed from years of neglect. I picked up the first paper in the stack and unfolded it, revealing a handwritten letter in Russian.

 _My little Lyoshenka,_

 _If you're reading this, then something grave has happened to me. I have been discovered. Remember all those stories I used to tell you about buried treasure and secret tunnels? Everything's true, all those myths and stories about Adria are all true. Unfortunately, there are high-ranking officials out there who would do anything to keep those things hidden for life. I think they're onto me. They've discovered that I've unveiled all these secrets that were meant to be buried for eternities. And so I must leave you, in order to protect you and keep you safe. I don't know what's going to happen to me or if I'll ever see you again. I hate to leave you like this but it's for the best. Hopefully, you'll be able to understand, now that you're older. Maybe one day, when all these secrets finally come to light, I'll be able to see you again. But until then, I have to leave._

 _I can feel that something big is coming, something revolutionary that will change Adria and its history as we know it. Maybe then, I'll be able to see you again, if I'm still alive. But for now, the best I can hope for is to send you my love from afar and pray that you're safe. Destroy this letter and all the associated documents when you've finished reading them. I don't want you to be tracked the way they tracked me. Until I see you again, know that I'll always love you, my little Lyoshenka._

Tears had formed in my eyes by the time I finished reading the letter. I couldn't remember the last time I had seen or heard my mother's childhood nickname for me. Lyoshenka was an affectionate form of my Russian nickname, Lyosha. A few of the embassy staff, especially Mikhail, still called me Lyosha. However, no one called me Lyoshenka anymore, not since my mother disappeared. Seeing my childhood nickname instantly brought back happy memories with my mother, making it harder to keep the tears in.

I suddenly remembered all the lectures my father had given me right after my mother disappeared. I tried my hardest to blink back the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks, heeding my father's reminders about how men were not supposed to cry. However, tears started blurring my vision as I traced my mother's loopy handwriting. I squeezed my eyes shut, willing myself to get it together. After all, my mother had willingly chosen to leave. I had no reason to be getting emotional over her. Yet, the little boy inside me missed my mother so much, wishing she could hold me again, like she used to when I was scared. Unfortunately, no amount of wishing could possibly bring her back. That thought alone was enough to send one lone tear rolling down my cheek. It hit the letter, smudging a bit of ink in the upper right corner of the page.

I glanced at the small, wet circle created by the tear. I noticed a date written under it, presumably the date the letter was written. I tried to hold back my shock as I realized the letter was written exactly ten years ago today. Sometimes, it felt like my mother had been gone for longer than ten years. Something must have gone terribly wrong if my mother had been missing for that long. What had she discovered that could have possibly driven her into hiding, being kidnapped, or worse?

I picked up the next piece of paper and unfolded it to find a page of illegible scribbles. The paper was stained in many places and the words were a mix of Adrian and Russian. I quickly scanned the page, seeing if I could make out anything among the nonsense. _Buried treasure … hidden ruins … lost princesses … secret tunnels_. None of it made much sense to me but the secret tunnels part piqued my interest. Sure, I had learned about the underground tunnel system in school and gone on tours of it. However, that was just the public part of it. To think that there was a whole hidden network of tunnels underneath the city was absolutely mind-blowing.

I picked up the last sheet of paper, which really looked like many sheets of paper taped together. I carefully unfolded it and gasped when I saw what it was. A diagram of all the secret underground tunnels overlaid on a map of the streets and buildings of Valancia. I examined the diagram, taking in as much detail as I could. There were supposed entrances to this vast tunnel system scattered throughout the streets. Apparently, there were also trapdoors in the basement of each embassy that would lead into the tunnel system. On the side of the map, there were notes on which tunnel entrances were the safest to use.

As I stared at the map, I couldn't help but marvel at what I had just learned. Even though the tunnel system felt pretty life-changing to me, I couldn't help but feel like it was the least revolutionary secret my mother had uncovered.

My mother and Princess Ann's words echoed through my mind. _Destroy these papers once you've finished reading them._ However, I couldn't bring myself to destroy the papers, even though it was the wise thing to do. I couldn't bear to let go of these pieces of my mother. I just wanted to treasure them for a bit longer so I could still have a tangible part of my mother with me.

I did take pictures of all those papers with my phone, in case I had to destroy them at a moment's notice. I hoped that wouldn't have to happen though. I carefully folded up the papers again and retied them with the ribbon. I hid the stack of papers in the game case for 'Call of Duty: Black Ops III', stuffing them inside the instruction manual where they'd hopefully be less noticeable. It seemed like an unlikely place where my father, or anyone else, would look and I hoped those papers would stay safe in there for the time being.

I returned to the current task at hand, sorting my laundry. Although it had been so fascinating to learn about the underground tunnel system, it was nice to have something mundane and less painful to focus on. I quickly checked the pockets of the rest of my formal clothes. Other than that stack of papers, I hadn't left anything in my pockets. I stuffed each pile of laundry into a plastic laundry bag then crammed the three laundry bags into my huge sports duffel bag. After wrestling with the bags and rearranging them, I finally managed to make them fit in my duffel bag. I stuffed my phone and my wallet into my shorts pocket then grabbed the duffel bag. I headed down to my father's office, to let him know where I was going.

"Laundry day," I said, gesturing to my large duffel bag, after my father opened the door.

"Are you going to be out long?" my father asked gruffly.

"Probably. I think I'll stick around downtown while waiting for my laundry to finish up." My father didn't seem too thrilled about me being out of the embassy for a few hours. I wasn't too surprised about that though.

"I'd like you to be back before dinner."

"Yes, father. I'll be back before then." Unless the washing machines decided to spontaneously combust, I would definitely be back by late-afternoon.

"Good. I don't want you staying out too long," my father said, giving me a look. I easily heard the double meaning in his words. If I stayed out too long, he was definitely going to suspect that I was out with Grace.

I headed down the stairs and out the embassy. I stopped at the dry cleaner's first, to drop off my formal wear. Next, I headed over to the laundromat. It wasn't too busy and I was able to get two adjacent washing machines. I loaded my lights into one machine and my darks into the other one. I loaded coins into the machines then added some detergent to each machine before starting the wash cycles. Once that was done, I had an hour to kill until I had to take my clothes out and put them in the driers. Which meant I had an hour to explore the tunnels.

Checking the map on my phone, I scanned it for the nearest tunnel entrance. It was a few blocks down from the laundromat, in a secluded, hilltop street. I started down the street and turned into a narrow alley way, being careful to follow the map. I came out onto the sloping street, slowly walking until I reached the spot where the tunnel entrance supposedly was.

At first, I was confused as I stared at the street. I wasn't sure what I was expecting. Definitely not a sign that clearly indicated where the tunnel entrance was. However, the cobblestones all appeared the same to me and I wasn't sure what I was supposed to be looking for.

As I continued staring down at the cobblestones, something slowly shifted in my mind. I realized that in the middle of the street, the cobblestones took on a slightly different pattern. And on the center stone, there was an engraved emblem. I vaguely remembered seeing it on the pages of scrawl my mother had left me. With a start, I realized it was the symbol of the Society. I wondered if the Society had created all the underground tunnels in Valancia, in order to protect the secrets they so desperately wanted to keep hidden.

I experimentally kicked the center stone with my foot. Nothing happened except I could have sworn the stones moved ever so slightly. Shoving my phone into my pocket, I got down on my hands and knees and slowly pushed down on the center stone. I gradually applied more force and almost fell when the stones parted, revealing a narrow opening in the street.

I quickly pulled my phone out of my pocket and clicked into the flashlight app. Aiming the beam of light down the narrow opening, I spotted one sketchy-looking ladder on the side of the opening. I put my phone back into my pocket and slowly stepped onto the first rung of the ladder, hoping it'd hold my weight. It creaked slightly but it looked like it wouldn't give on me. I slowly climbed down, counting the rungs as I descended. My mother had mentioned in her notes that each ladder leading into the tunnels had thirty rungs. I was relieved to discover that she was right, my foot hitting a cold, hard floor after climbing down thirty rungs.

Belatedly, I realized I forgot to pull the trapdoor shut on the climb down. However, I heard a faint creaking noise and looked up to see an intricate pulley system pulling the trapdoor shut. I sighed in relief as I studied the pulley system with fascination. It looked like it had been around for a while, maybe ever since the tunnels had been built. I wished I had the time to examine it more closely and figure out the physics behind it. However, I had a more pressing issue to deal with: learning my way around the secret tunnels.

I grabbed my phone and pulled up the map. It was much more different looking at the map now that I was actually in the tunnels. I decided to try finding the tunnel entrance underneath the Russian embassy, in case I ever needed a quick escape route. I tried to follow the map as best as I could, using my phone flashlight as a light source. There were unlit torches lining the walls of the tunnels but I didn't have any way of lighting them. Besides, I didn't want anyone to suspect that I was down here exploring. I certainly didn't want to have to explain myself, especially to any of the Society members. I could imagine they wouldn't be thrilled about finding a wayward teenage boy in their tunnels.

With the help of my mother's map and my phone flashlight, I managed to find what I thought was the trapdoor leading into the Russian embassy. However, I wasn't entirely sure, given that it looked exactly the same as all the other sets of ladders and trapdoors I had passed. I took a deep breath and slowly climbed the ladder, hoping there'd be some kind of visual indicator on the trapdoor. I climbed up as much as I could, before my hair grazed the bottom of the trapdoor. As I examined the trapdoor, I didn't see anything special about it that would mark it as the one leading into the Russian embassy.

Just as I was about to climb down, praying that I had gotten the right trapdoor, I heard voices yelling in Russian. I winced, almost hitting my head on the trapdoor. I sighed in relief, noting that I had found the right door after all. However, my mood darkened when I recognized the voices of my father and the ambassador. I listened in on their conversation, trying to pick up as much of it as I could. I stiffened when I realized they were arguing about some kind of murder plan. I wasn't surprised to hear that my father was for this plan while the ambassador was against it.

My father never told me much about what he did before coming to work at the Russian embassy in Adria. Based on what I had learned over the years from Mikhail and the other embassy staff, my father used to be an assassin in the KGB-FSB, the most-esteemed unit of the Russian Special Forces. Apparently, he used to spend his days hunting down and killing wanted criminals and moles, something he excelled at. It wouldn't surprise me that he'd be itching to hunt someone down again, to relive his glory days.

My father and the ambassador suddenly switched over to Adrian. I was momentarily confused until I heard more voices. After listening for a moment, I was able to pick out the Adrian prime minister's voice. I also heard a distorted female voice, like they were on speaker phone with the volume turned up all the way. That voice sounded extremely familiar but I couldn't place it, blaming the distortion from the phone speakers. Finally, there was a third voice, a deep, male voice that I didn't recognize at all.

After some formal introductions and small talk, the prime minister brought up the murder plot that my father and the ambassador had been talking about earlier. I listened along, only half paying attention when the prime minister suddenly mentioned Grace's name. I jumped in surprise, hitting my head on the trapdoor. I winced in pain and slightly panicked when I realized the conversation above me had abruptly halted.

"What was that?" I heard footsteps, like someone was walking around above me. I froze in horror. At this point, I had two options: climb down the ladder and risk being heard or stay where I was and risk being seen. Either way, I would be a dead man if I was caught.

I heard the footsteps getting closer and closer to the trap door. I risked climbing down a few rungs, hoping the ancient ladder wouldn't creak against my weight. The footsteps finally stopped, only to be replaced by the sound of someone jiggling the trap door. I held in my breath, fearing very much for my life.

"It was probably just a mouse," my father said. As his footsteps faded away, I let out a sigh of relief. I was so grateful he didn't think to open the trap door; otherwise, I definitely would have been a dead man.

I so badly wanted to leave and get back to the safety of the streets but I felt compelled to stay, thanks to the mention of Grace's name. As I listened on in fear, I realized that this potential murder plot involved Grace. I heard my father and the prime minister trying to persuade the ambassador and the other guy to agree to this plan. The female on speaker phone seemed to stay neutral and I couldn't tell whose side she was on. I suddenly wondered why the five of them would be involved in some plan to kill Grace. It couldn't possibly be because my father hated her and wanted her to stay away from me. That seemed a bit extreme, even for him. However, I couldn't think of another reason why my father, or the prime minister, would want her dead.

Just as I was about to climb back down, the prime minister mentioned that Grace was involved in her mother's death. I didn't know much about her mother's death, only that it appeared to be an accident. There had been many rumours surrounding Grace's mother's death, one of which was that it had been a set-up involving the prime minister. I hadn't given it much credit back then, but now, hearing the prime minister talk vehemently about Grace interfering with her mother's death, that rumour suddenly seemed credible. It almost sounded like the prime minster wanted to murder Grace for getting in the way of her mother's perfect death plan. I nearly fell off the ladder as I realized just how sinister the prime minister sounded. Combined with the eeriness of the tunnels and the way my father agreed with the prime minister, I suddenly started feeling very afraid for my life. I climbed down as fast as I dared and briskly retraced my steps, making sure I followed the map.

Luckily, I managed to make it back to the entrance I had come in from without any mishaps. I quickly climbed back up and pushed against the trapdoor. Initially, it didn't move but after a few good pushes, I finally got it open. I climbed back out into the street, glad to be back outside with the sunlight and fresh air. Checking the time on my phone, I saw that an hour had already passed and my clothes would have finished their cycle in the washing machines.

I headed back to the laundromat at a nice, easy pace, to avoid drawing suspicion to myself. I grabbed my clothes out of the washing machines and tossed them into two adjacent driers. I got a couple dryer sheets, tossing one into each dryer, then loaded the coins into the machines. Soon, my clothes were spinning around in the driers. I had another hour to kill before they'd be done. I could just walk around downtown Valancia, taking in the busy summer streets full of tourists and locals. Or, I could go back down into the tunnels and explore some more. As creepy as they were, I felt this pull towards them, compelling me to go back down there.

I decided to act before I could regret anything and headed back towards the tunnel entrance in the hilltop street. It didn't take me long to locate the tunnel entrance and push it open. I soon found myself back in the dreary depths of the tunnels. I untangled my earbuds and plugged them into my phone. I only put in one of my earbuds, so that I could still hear if someone else was in the tunnels. I clicked into the music app and put on some EDM. The familiar beats comforted me, making me feel less alone in the ominous tunnels.

I surged forward, determined to make the most of my limited exploration time. Following my mother's extremely detailed map, I managed to locate other useful tunnel entrances. I found the entrances leading to both the American and South Korean embassies, as well as an entrance in Jordan's neighbourhood. There were also a couple tunnel entrances near the palace that I managed to locate, as well as one leading into the abandoned Iranian embassy. As I wandered through the tunnels, I was able to appreciate just how easy it would be for someone to get lost if they didn't have a map or any sense of where they were going. The tunnels didn't follow nice, even lines but twisted and turned at random, even sloping up sharply in some cases. Their intersections at randomly spaced intervals made them even more unpredictable. I was thankful that my mother had managed to explore the tunnels and create this map. I could see how time-consuming making the map must have been and wondered just how long my mother had spent on it. I reckoned it would have taken her at least a few years, given the expanse and detail included.

After an hour had passed, I made my way back to the hilltop street tunnel entrance. This time, I was better prepared and knew how much force to apply to the trapdoor to get it open. It only took me one push and I was back out on the street in no time. I closed the trapdoor and headed back to the laundromat. I collected my now soft and dry clothes from the driers and loaded them into my duffel bag.

Once my clothes were neatly folded in my duffel bag, I headed back to the Russian embassy. As I walked through the main entrance, I found my father standing with the ambassador, the prime minister, and one other man. I didn't recognize this other man but he had a very noticeable, red, jagged scar down one side of his face. He must have been in the basement too, for the discussion of murder plans I had overheard.

"Hello, Alexei, nice seeing you again," the prime minister said in Adrian, turning to face me. "How did you find the ball?"

"I enjoyed it, sir. And yourself?" I replied formally.

"It was excellent," the prime minister commented, before glancing at my duffel bag. "You look like you've been out for a while."

"I just got back from the laundromat. All clean." I gestured to my duffel bag with my clean clothes, more for my father's benefit than anyone else's. My father had been eyeing me suspiciously ever since I got in. I wondered if he knew that I had eavesdropped on his basement conversation but told myself that it was impossible. There was no way he could have known that I was in the tunnels.

"You've got quite an independent son there," the prime minister said, turning to my father. "Usually, I can't be bothered to do my own laundry, not with all the housekeeping staff around!" He let out a loud, resounding laugh that seemed to put my father slightly more at ease. However, it wasn't enough to completely rid him of that suspicious look.

"By the way, have you met Dom?" the prime minister asked me. I shook my head. I wondered who this Dom person was but quickly realized it was the man standing next to the prime minister. "This is Dominic Novak, my head of security and one of my closest friends."

"I'm Alexei Volkov. It's a pleasure to meet you," I said, turning to face Dominic. I extended my hand to shake Dominic's outstretched hand.

"Likewise," Dominic replied, with a nod and a polite smile. He must have been a man of few words. Up close, I couldn't help but notice how imposing his scar was, a stark contrast to his otherwise smooth skin.

"I'd love to stay and chat but I really need to be on my way," the prime minister said, turning back to me. "The South Korean embassy is hosting a casual dinner party tonight and the ambassador himself has personally requested my presence. I need to freshen up for that."

"Of course, I understand," I replied politely. "Enjoy your evening." Inside, I was almost dying with laughter. Tanner had been grumbling about how he was being forced to attend this dinner party with the prime minister. Jordan and I kept telling him it wouldn't be that bad but Tanner begged to differ. Needless to say, I couldn't wait to hear the play-by-play afterwards.

"Thank you, I'm sure I will," the prime minister said, with a smile. Then, he turned back to my father and the ambassador. "Thank you again for your company today. I thoroughly enjoyed it. We'll keep in touch." He shook hands with my father and the ambassador then left with Dominic. My father and the ambassador exchanged a few words before the ambassador left, leaving me alone with my father.

"Were you really at the laundromat today?" my father asked, his voice cold and hard.

"Yes. Would you like to see my clothes?" I asked. I set my duffel bag on the floor and started unzipping it when my father's voice stopped me.

"No, I believe you. Although you easily could have had a secret meeting with the American girl while waiting for your clothes."

"I didn't. I walked around downtown while waiting for my clothes," I lied. It wasn't a total lie. I had been walking around, just not downtown. I felt my father's cold, hard gaze scrutinizing me. I suddenly wondered if there were any physical indications of my adventures in the tunnels, like dirt on my knees or hands. I brushed the palms of my hands against my shorts, in case there was any dirt on them.

"Alright," my father finally said. I wondered if he finally decided to believe me or if he was letting me off the hook for now. "An email just got sent to many of the ambassadors and their executive staff. As the prime minister mentioned, the South Korean embassy is hosting a dinner party tonight. I will be attending with the ambassador. I assume you would also be interested in attending, given that one of your friends is Korean?"

"Yes, Tanner," I replied. My father nodded, although it probably wasn't out of recognition. He didn't really make an effort to get to know my friends and probably only had the vaguest idea of who Tanner was.

"Good. As usual, I expect that you will look your best and act appropriately. We will be leaving in an hour and a half." My father left after that, giving me no chance to respond. It looked like Tanner wasn't going to be the only one suffering through a fancy dinner tonight.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think will happen at the dinner party at the South Korean embassy? This chapter was a bit different from the other chapters because there was less dialogue and more of Alexei's thoughts and actions. How do you find chapters like that? There will be a few more chapters like that throughout the series. Next chapter will be up between Saturday night (at the earliest) and Thursday night (at the latest).**


	11. Chapter 11 - The Death of Me

**Here's another long chapter! Get ready for some drama!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Eleven: The Death of Me

An hour and a half later, I found myself decked out in a suit and tie. I had chosen a simple but timeless black suit, paired with a skinny silver tie. After checking my gelled hair one last time in the mirror and mentally preparing myself for the endless polite, formal conversation, I walked down to the main entrance of the embassy. I found my father, the ambassador, and Mikhail already waiting. My father gave me the usual once-over, curtly nodding his approval at my appearance.

The four of us started walking down to the parking garage. I fell into step with Mikhail as we walked behind my father and the ambassador.

"Looking good, Lyosha," Mikhail said, with a friendly smile.

"Thanks," I replied. "Are you driving us to the party tonight?"

"Of course. I don't think I'll be able to stay though," Mikhail said casually. However, there was a hint of sadness in his eyes, which I could just barely make out. I always found it really unfair how personal staff, like Mikhail, weren't allowed to attend parties and fancy events. I felt like they were just as entitled as the ambassadors and executive staff to attend parties. Like Jordan always said, why can't normal people get the good stuff too?

"I bet you're looking forward to seeing Tanner," Mikhail said, the sad look in his eyes replaced by a smile.

"I am," I replied. "He'll definitely be quite surprised to see me tonight." I had decided not to text Tanner, to tell him I was coming. I figured I'd just show up and surprise him.

"I'm sure he will," Mikhail said, with a light laugh. He stepped around my father and the ambassador to open the limo door for them. My father and the ambassador climbed into the limo and immediately got out their obligatory pre-party cigarettes. I climbed in after them, nodding my thanks to Mikhail as he held the limo door open for me. I always felt like the embassy staff were underappreciated for all the hard work they did. Personally, I believed they worked harder than anyone else, but received the least credit for their work. I noticed that my father and the ambassador seemed to take Mikhail for granted, never thanking him for all the work he did in driving them around.

I stared out the window as Mikhail pulled out of the parking garage and onto the road. Normally, it wouldn't take us long to get to the South Korean embassy. However, the streets were filled with a sea of limos waiting to pull through the South Korean gates.

After a good twenty minutes, we finally got in. One of the guards opened the limo door for us and I climbed out, after my father and the ambassador. We walked into the South Korean embassy and were promptly ushered to a large hall, where the dinner party was being held. There was a large group of South Korean officials, waiting to greet us, by the entrance to the party hall. I noticed Tanner standing among them, by his father. He raised his eyebrows in surprise when he saw me and broke his way out of the receiving line, barreling towards me.

"Bro, what are you doing here?" Tanner exclaimed, a little too loudly. Quite a few heads turned towards us.

"I could be asking myself the same question," I deadpanned.

"No wonder you look so confused. Though in all seriousness, why are you here? I thought I was just supposed to attend this dinner with the prime minister, not a huge party with all the ambassadors."

"My father said an email got sent out, stating that the South Korean embassy was hosting a casual dinner party. Apparently, they invited a ton of ambassadors and their executive staff."

"Wow, that's really sudden notice because yesterday, this was still just a dinner with the prime minister," Tanner said, frowning.

"Tell me about it," I replied, rolling my eyes. "My father only just told me I was coming two hours ago."

"That's almost exactly what Jordan said." Jordan was here too? That would definitely make this night much more bearable.

"Anyways, I gotta run and greet all these ambassadors. Fun," Tanner said sarcastically. He looked back towards the receiving line, where some of the South Korean officials were glaring at us disapprovingly. "Catch you in a bit." He ran off towards the receiving line, quickly plastering a smile on his face. I quietly laughed at how forced Tanner's smile looked and headed over to my father. I followed him and the ambassador around the room as they spoke to various ambassadors and executive staff members. I did my best to blend into the background, only speaking when addressed.

After what felt like forever, my father and the ambassador stopped to grab some food. I noticed that the receiving line had just broken up and guessed that Tanner had finished fulfilling his host duties for the night. I quickly muttered something to my father about going to find Tanner and he waved me off, engrossed in conversation with the ambassador. Luckily, it didn't take me long to find him and Jordan. They were both standing by a potted plant near the kitchen doors.

"Hey, man, didn't think you'd be here too," Jordan said, looking visibly surprised to see me.

"My father dragged me along. What's your excuse?" I asked, walking up to him and Tanner.

"Got a call from the catering company asking if I could work this dinner party tonight for extra pay because it was such short notice," Jordan replied. He then turned to Tanner, shaking his head. "Damn, bruh, you guys really need to sort out the ventilation in your kitchen. It's so freaking hot in there! Can you get in a word about that? Let the higher-ups know how much their kitchen staff are suffering?"

"Don't look at me, bro, I have no power over that sort of stuff," Tanner said, holding his hands up in defence. "I just smile and look pretty." I couldn't help but laugh. I was pretty sure that the only purpose embassy kids served was to make their parents look good, despite the clandestine affairs they might be involved in.

"Hey, at least you're off duty now," I pointed out.

"Only until I get dragged off to talk to all these random ambassadors," Tanner grumbled. I nodded in agreement. That was the thing about embassy life; I never knew when I would be dragged off by my father to talk to other ambassadors or executive staff members, all for the sake of fostering good connections and diplomatic relationships. It could get really tiring at times, always having to smile, be polite, and keep up an amicable persona. In a way, it almost felt like acting. I cherished moments like these, where I could let my guard down and joke around with my friends. These moments were few and fleeting, especially at formal events like tonight's dinner party.

"Alexei?" I turned towards the sound of a small voice saying my name.

"Rosemarie, nice to see you here," I said, looking down at her. She was decked out in a black dress that made her look very grown up. "Have you been enjoying the party tonight?"

"No, everyone's so boring here," Rosie replied glumly. She looked like she didn't want to be here and I couldn't blame her. If I had my way, I probably wouldn't have come either.

"You got that right," Tanner said. "The most exciting thing that usually happens around here is the executive staff arguing over Korean dramas."

"I'm having a hard time imagining all those guys in suits watching Korean TV shows, let alone arguing over them," Jordan commented. I had to agree with him on that.

"That's what makes it exciting. It's honestly so funny to watch. Half the time, watching them argue about the TV show is more entertaining than the show itself," Tanner said. He launched into an imitation of the Korean officials arguing over Korean dramas, causing us all to laugh.

"This definitely seems like the party corner." I turned around to find Noah approaching us.

"Just doing what we can to make the most out of this night. Feel free to join us," I replied, stepping aside to make room for him.

"Don't mind if I do," Noah replied. He nodded at Tanner and Jordan, acknowledging their presences.

"Hey, I don't think I've ever seen you at one of the embassy events," Noah said, turning towards Jordan. "You're Jordan, right?"

"Yup, that's me," Jordan replied.

"Cool. I'm Noah, Portuguese and Israeli embassies. You?"

"I'm Adrian-born and raised. I've just started working with catering for fancy embassy events," Jordan said. Noah nodded in understanding while Rosie stared wide-eyed at Jordan.

"You okay?" Jordan asked, suspiciously looking down at Rosie. She quickly blinked, breaking out of her trance.

"Yeah, it's just, I've never talked to an Adrian kid before!" Rosie said.

"We're not aliens, you know," Jordan retorted, causing Tanner and I to laugh.

"You might as well be!" Rosie exclaimed, giving Jordan a disbelieving look. He glanced at her in surprise. "Because …"

"Embassy kids don't hang out with Adrian kids," Noah finished, looking slightly uncomfortable. "So you can imagine this conversation is more than a bit weird for us."

"It's cool, I get it," Jordan said, with a smile. "After all, I had to put up with all that crap when I first met these two." He nodded at Tanner and I, giving us a knowing look.

"And look at us now. Bros for life," I said, with a grin. Since I tended to be a bit of a role model among the embassy kids, I was hoping I could open Noah and Rosie's minds to hanging out with non-embassy kids. Although all the kids in Valancia attended the international school, there were many distinct cliques, creating a fine line between Adrian kids and embassy kids. One of the biggest contributors to that huge social division was our parents' rules, dictating who we were allowed to hang out with. Our parents were the only reason why the Adrian kids thought all the embassy kids were snobby or why the embassy kids looked down on the Adrian kids. They were the ones who had drilled those sentiments into our heads at young ages. I was almost positive that all the kids would get along just fine, regardless of ethnicity or social background, if it weren't for the things our parents had told us. After all, Tanner, Jordan, and I were great friends, once we had gotten past the early awkward stages of breaking down the stereotypes we had been taught.

"So, um, you said you were working tonight," Noah said, in a very awkward attempt to start a conversation with Jordan. "Don't you need to be in the kitchen or anything?"

"Nah, all the important stuff, like preparing the food and arranging it on the tables, is done. I get to chill out for a bit," Jordan replied. Tonight, the food was set up in various buffet tables all around the hall, creating a casual vibe. I hadn't had a chance to grab any of the food yet but it all smelled really delicious.

"Besides, _someone_ was complaining that it was way too hot in the kitchen," Tanner said, pointedly looking at Jordan.

"Hotter than the ninth circle of Hell hot?" Noah asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Exactly," Jordan said, with a laugh. He then turned towards Tanner, returning his pointed look. "See, _someone_ understands how I feel." That made Noah, Rosie, and I laugh.

"What's going on over here?" We all turned around to find Lila and Megan approaching us.

"None of your business," Noah quickly replied. Lila's face immediately darkened and she said something in Portuguese. Noah replied in Hebrew. Soon, they were arguing in what sounded like a weird mix of Portuguese, Hebrew, and Adrian. The rest of us stood there dumbfounded, as we watched the siblings fight. However, I quickly stepped forward, to take control of the situation.

"Alright, you two, break it up," I said, in a firm voice. I put myself in between Noah and Lila and looked between them. "Calm down. Are you both going to act civil for the rest of the night?" They both looked pretty pissed-off but I hoped they'd be able to contain their anger, at least for the time being. The last thing I needed tonight was sibling drama.

"He started it!" Lila quickly protested, like a small child trying to get her way. I simply raised an eyebrow at both of them. Noah just shook his head, like he had gone through this many times before.

"Lila," I warned, in a firm, hard voice. I looked her right in the eye, unyielding in my gaze. Finally, she relented and her angry expression quickly changed to a worn-out one.

"Fine, whatever, sorry," she mumbled, not looking at Noah.

"Hey, I'm equally at fault too," Noah apologized. "Guess that makes us both even."

"Are you both cool then?" I asked, looking between Lila and Noah. The two siblings just shrugged, casting a quick glance at each other. As I glanced around the whole group, I noticed that everyone looked kind of tired and worn-out.

"How about we all sit down and get something to eat?" I suggested. "I know I'm tired and hungry and I imagine the rest of you feel the same."

"Same here," Megan said.

"Besides, food does sound good right now," Noah said, with a small smile. We all grabbed some food from the buffet tables before heading over to a relatively secluded table, where we could spend some time away from the action and just get to be kids again.

"Oh, man, these chairs are comfy," Noah said, leaning back in his chair. Rosie nodded in agreement, almost sinking into her chair.

"I know, right? It's a shame the embassy doesn't bring out these chairs very often," Tanner replied. He leaned back too, looking just as relaxed as Noah. Megan and Lila just looked at each other, rolling their eyes at the guys.

We all dug into our food, eager to satiate our growling stomachs. The Korean dishes served tonight were delicious and it didn't take us long to polish off our plates.

"That was awesome," Noah said, dabbing his mouth with a napkin.

"It's a shame there's nothing left," Rosie said, looking longingly at her empty plate. For such a tiny girl, I was surprised at how quickly she had demolished her plate of food.

"Feel free to help yourselves to more. There's still a ton of full food trays back in the kitchen that need to be eaten." Jordan replied.

"Well, then I could easily dig in for another round of food," Noah mused.

"I second that," Rosie said.

"Me three," Megan agreed.

"I'd really appreciate it if you could take our plates for us," Lila said, giving Jordan a flirty look. She held out her empty plate towards him. As if it were cued, everyone simultaneously shoved their empty plates in Jordan's direction.

"Geez, you guys are demanding," Jordan said, with a light tone. He stacked our plates then headed towards the kitchen.

"It's only because we love you!" Tanner called out. I saw Jordan rolling his eyes, muttering something under his breath.

"Wow, I didn't realize Jordan was such a nice guy," Noah commented, once Jordan was out of earshot.

"Yeah, he seemed kind of scary at first but he actually seems pretty cool," Rosie said.

"Not to mention kind of hot," Lila said. "Don't you agree, Megan?"

"Eh, he's not really my type," Megan replied half-heartedly. She gave Noah a discreet, sideways glance. Given the way that Noah just as discreetly looked back at her, I concluded that something was going on between them. I had to hold back a laugh because I was sure that Lila would not like the idea of her best friend and her brother dating.

"Wow, Lila, I didn't know you had a thing for Adrian guys," Tanner said, with a bit of a smirk. This was definitely going to get interesting.

"He's Adrian?" Lila asked, her voice full of surprise. Her face slightly wrinkled in disgust. She had definitely not been expecting that.

"Um, it should have been kind of obvious because we've never seen him at any embassy events. And he was wearing a waiter's uniform instead of a suit," Megan pointed out.

"Wow, no wonder you weren't into him," Lila replied. Lila only hung out with embassy kids and that extended to boyfriends too. In all the time that I'd known her, she only liked embassy guys, or more like one embassy guy in particular. Me. As far as I was concerned, she was still hung up on me, even after I had ended our fling in the gentlest way possible.

An awkward silence fell upon the table as Jordan returned.

"Am I missing something funny here?" Jordan asked skeptically, as he looked around at all of us.

"Nothing major. I'll fill you in later, bro," I replied, trying my best to hide the awkwardness of the previous conversation. Jordan looked at me funny but I just shrugged, not giving anything away. I stood up to grab more food and everyone followed suit. As we returned to the table, a light, easy conversation started up again, and the previous tension pretty much disappeared.

After a while, I noticed the prime minister approaching our table. Somehow, he had managed to find us while doing his rounds. I thought we had chosen a pretty secluded table but we must have chosen wrong.

"Ah, looks like I've found the kid's table," the prime minister said, with a light tone. "Although you are all much more like mature young adults than kids."

"Why, thank you," Lila replied. Admittedly, she was a sucker for attention and worked hard to impress others. That was one of the parts of her that I didn't like.

"Are you all enjoying the start of summer holidays? It must be nice to have a break from school," the prime minister asked, sitting down at our table. It looked like this conversation was going to be continuing for a while.

"It is. Although I didn't imagine I'd be spending my summer at all these formal events," Noah said, suddenly looking uncomfortable in his suit.

"Same here," Tanner agreed. "I didn't realize it was so hard being in the receiving line until today."

"Yes, the receiving line is hard work, but the first time is always the hardest. You did a great job, Tanner," the prime minister said. He then turned back to face the rest of us. "Besides, the summer's only just started. There's still plenty of time for beach days and secret expeditions."

"There better be because Megan and I really need to work on our tans," Lila replied, causing the rest of us to laugh.

"I assure you, there's no need to worry about that, especially with the year-round sun and warm weather we get here," the prime minister said. He then looked around the table carefully, almost as if he was scrutinizing us. "I don't suppose Grace is here tonight?"

"Nope, haven't seen her all evening," Noah replied. Come to think of it, I hadn't seen Grace either. Not that I had been looking for her but I figured I would have casually bumped into her at least once.

"I assumed she would have been here with her grandfather but only Ms. Chancellor is here with Ambassador Vincent," the prime minister mused. "I figured she might have been here with all of you but I guess I was wrong."

"Shouldn't Grace be here tonight?" Rosie asked.

"A lot of the other embassy kids are here," Megan stated. "I don't see why she wouldn't be here too."

"I'm sure she has her reasons," the prime minister said airily, although it felt strangely ominous and foreboding to me. "After all, I did hear about what happened to her at the ball. I can imagine that would be enough to keep her away from formal events, for the time being."

"If I started freaking out like that, especially in a super public place like the ball, I definitely would not want to show my face anytime soon," Tanner said. We all nodded in agreement.

"I really do hope she recovers soon because I'd hate for her to be missing out on all of this glamour and glitz," the prime minister replied. I was pretty sure that Grace would rather be climbing trees and running around outside, instead of attending all these fancy parties. However, I wasn't going to flat-out contradict the prime minister.

"Alexei, you've been awfully quiet tonight," the prime minister said, addressing me. I quickly snapped out of my thoughts and looked up at him.

"Just taking some time to enjoy my surroundings and this wonderful party," I said lightly. I saw Tanner mouth "suck-up" at me but ignored him. "Besides, I did get a chance to speak to you earlier."

"Why, of course," the prime minister responded, with a nod. "I did enjoy speaking with you earlier. I do find that the Russian embassy provides quite excellent hospitality. Would you be able to pass that onto your father and the ambassador? I have always enjoyed their company."

"Of course," I replied, trying not to choke on my words. I was pretty sure the prime minister didn't know I had overheard his earlier conversation, but I wasn't certain. Besides, I seriously wondered how discussing murder plans was good company.

"Anyways, I'd love to stay and chat but I think I've got other company to attend to," the prime minister said, standing up. I looked up to see Ambassador Vincent and Ms. Chancellor quickly approaching our table. Ambassador Vincent greeted all of us politely, although his gaze lingered on me for a fraction of a second longer, almost like he was sending me a mental message to stay away from Grace. I couldn't help but shrink back in my chair.

Now that the prime minister had left, the conversation at the table went back to its carefree teenage banter. I stayed silent though, picking at my food, as I replayed the aftermath of the ball in my mind. I thought it was so unfair that I was holding Grace in my arms one second, only to have her brutally ripped away from me the next second and transferred over to the care of the American embassy. I had only been doing my best to help her that night, despite what Ambassador Vincent might have thought. I wouldn't dare hurt her and couldn't bear the thought of laying a harmful finger on her. She deserved so much better than that.

"Wow, Alexei, the prime minister wasn't kidding; you are being awfully quiet tonight," Lila commented. I looked up to find six faces staring back at me. Great.

"Just got a lot on my mind," I replied vaguely.

"Everything alright?" Lila asked, looking at me with concern. Although it was hard to see sometimes, she really did care about her friends. She was always there if I needed someone to vent to, about my father or school, or anything. However, my mind was currently a swirling mess of thoughts that I couldn't untangle. There was no way I'd be able to articulate them to Lila, let alone anyone else.

"Oh please, Alexei's just mopey because a certain someone isn't here tonight," Tanner replied, a devilish smirk on his face. He did _not_ just bring that up right now. I was so going to have to get back at him later for that. Ideally with a few punches and a kick or two.

"Who?" Lila asked, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"I'll give you a hint. Her name starts with a G-r and ends in an a-c-e," Jordan added.

"Grace? What's up with her and why does that have anything to do with Alexei?" Megan asked, looking suspicious.

"Let's just say that a certain someone really has his eye on her," Tanner replied, with a sly grin. I had to resist the urge to punch him for bringing up Grace. Maybe Jordan too, for making it so explicit.

"You're in love with Grace?" Noah blurted out. Lila's face immediately darkened, making me tense up in anticipation of one of her outbursts.

"I am not in love with Grace," I immediately refuted.

"Yeah right. I think Alexei's borderlining on obsessed right now," Tanner added.

"I am _not_ obsessed with her," I said, a little too harshly.

"Grace?!" Lila exclaimed. "Do you _like_ like her?"

"No," I said, keeping my face devoid of emotion. However, something must have given me away because I was met with four incredulous looks and two devilish smirks.

"So you _like_ like Grace. No big deal," Rosie said, shrugging. I gave her a grateful look, for being so non-judgmental and nonchalant.

"It's a huge freaking deal!" Lila exclaimed. "How could you like Grace? _How_? Why _her_?"

"I –" I started, before I was quickly interrupted by Lila.

"Out of all the girls to have a crush on, why does it have to be her? She's so impulsive, so unstable, so …"

"Bitchy?" Megan offered. We all looked at her in shock, for her rather vulgar word choice in describing Grace. Megan simply shrugged. "What? I've spent enough summers with her to know that she isn't the nicest girl around."

"Even one summer with her was more than enough to prove she clearly isn't very nice or friendly," Lila said coldly. Clearly, that scarf incident at the start of the summer must have been more than enough to affect how she felt about Grace.

"Grace isn't that bad," Noah offered meekly.

"That's because she's all nice around you and saves her bad side for me," Lila said, glaring at her brother. I could sense the tension between the two siblings and quickly intervened, to prevent another multi-language sibling brawl.

"Guys, calm down, it's not a big deal," I said, trying my best to sound diplomatic. "Let's just forget about this and enjoy the rest of the evening."

"Forget about it?!" Lila exploded, unleashing her anger on me. "How could I possibly forget about this?" That confirmed my suspicions that Lila definitely was not over me and that me having a crush on Grace only made things ten times worse.

"Lila –" I started, desperately not wanting her to be mad at me. However, it looked like the damage was already done.

"Forget it," Lila replied, abruptly standing up. It looked like she was trying to blink back tears. "It doesn't matter anymore. Clearly, you've made your decisions and there's nothing I can do about it. Again." I had no doubts as to what she was referring to. Me breaking up with her. I hated making her feel like I didn't care about her, even though I did. I stood up too, gently placing my hand on Lila's arm.

"Lila, please, I'm –," I started, before she interrupted me again.

"No. Stop it, Alexei. Time and time again, you say that you'd never hurt me but then you end up hurting me anyways. You always do." Lila's voice cracked and she moved out of my reach. "I don't want to hear any more of your shitty apologies. Just leave me alone." She started walking in the direction of the washrooms, keeping her head down. Megan quickly stood up and ran after Lila, no doubt to make sure that she was okay. Noah, Rosie, Tanner, and Jordan just stared at me awkwardly, until the awkward tension was too much to bear.

"Good job, man, you really messed up there," Tanner said, breaking the awkward silence.

"As much as I hate to say this, I kind of have to agree with Tanner," Noah seconded. "You know how Lila feels about you … and about Grace."

"I know," I moaned, putting my head down in shame.

"Hey, man, you can't stop the heart from wanting what it wants," Jordan said, in a feeble attempt to make me feel better.

"Even if that someone you want is Grace," Noah replied.

"If it makes you feel better, I think you and Grace would be a cute couple," Rosie said. I smiled at her, grateful for her unwavering support so far.

"Aside from the obvious difference in ethnicities that would cause problems," Noah said.

"See? Grace and I can't be together. No way," I replied. "Even our embassies are against it. Do you really expect the whole world to be okay with it?"

"Alright, you got me," Noah said, holding his hands up in defeat.

"And now we're back to square one," Tanner said, with a sigh. I couldn't help but sigh too. This girl drama was honestly going to be the death of me.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Saturday night (at the earliest) and Tuesday night (at the latest), although I am planning on posting it Monday night. I just realized that this fanfic has been up for a month! I'd like to send a big thank you to all of you for reading and supporting this fanfic!**


	12. Chapter 12 - Scared Yet?

**My apologies for not posting this chapter earlier in the week, when I said I would. I had a thermodynamics and kinetics test yesterday and spent the whole week studying for it. I also wasn't completely happy with this chapter so I rewrote parts of it and made it a little bit longer. I'm getting the general consensus that you all prefer longer chapters so I hope this chapter was worth the wait!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Scared Yet?

"Please tell us why we met at the laundromat," Tanner complained, "Only to go to some sketchy, abandoned street."

"It's not sketchy or abandoned," I retorted. "Just rarely used."

"Yeah right," Jordan replied sarcastically. "I'm still expecting someone to jump us."

"I second that," Tanner piped up. "If we get jumped, then, Alexei, you're responsible for protecting us since you were the one who brought us here in the first place."

"We won't get jumped," I reassured. "Chill out, will you?"

"I might once I find out why you brought us here, out of all places," Jordan said.

"I have something to show you," I replied.

"As if that wasn't already obvious. That was the whole point behind your text. You told us to meet you so you could show us something," Tanner replied, somewhat sarcastically.

"Alright, do you guys notice anything different about the cobblestones here?" I asked. I had taken Tanner and Jordan to the hilltop street, where I had first entered the tunnels. After much deliberation, I had decided to tell them about the tunnels. They were my friends, after all, and I felt like they deserved to know about the tunnels, especially if they could come in handy later. However, I had to make sure they wouldn't tell anyone, especially Tanner, who was known for being a bit of a blabbermouth.

"No. Are you high or something?" Jordan asked, looking at me skeptically.

"I'm fine, bro," I reassured. "Now, do you see anything different about the cobblestones here?"

"Not really… although it kinda looks like the stones have a bit of a different pattern in that one area," Tanner said, pointing to the area in the street where the tunnel entrance was located.

"Oh yeah, you're right," Jordan said, looking where Tanner was pointing. "Hey, what's that thing engraved on that middle stone?"

"That, is the emblem to the Society," I stated.

"How creative. 'The Society'," Tanner said, with air quotes. "What do they even do anyways, go around tagging random places in the city?"

"Actually, they probably do more dangerous things than that," I replied. "It's this group of women that keep all these historical secrets hidden. There are so many events in Adrian history that no one knows about because those women have kept them hidden for so long."

"Damn, that's intense," Jordan said. "So, are we talking secret tea parties or full-out murders?"

"To be honest, I'd say full-out murders. Political scandals. Those sorts of things," I said, causing Tanner and Jordan to go into shock. "Those women know some serious shit that no one else knows."

"So what does their emblem in the street have to do with all these secrets they're hiding?" Tanner asked.

"Have you guys looked at the picture I sent in the group chat?" I asked.

"You mean that weird diagram with a bunch of lines and weird symbols all over it?" Jordan asked. I nodded, grateful that they had at least seen the picture. "What the hell was that even supposed to be?"

"That, is a map of the secret tunnel network that lies under Valancia's streets," I announced proudly. Tanner and Jordan's eyes both widened.

"So all those rumours about underground tunnels are actually true? Like, there are actual tunnels underneath us right now?" Tanner asked, sounding both intrigued and skeptical. I couldn't blame him. The tunnels were definitely a mind-blowing concept to be learning about.

"You bet. It's how the women in the Society kept all their secrets hidden," I said.

"It's probably how they also got around to their secret love affairs," Jordan said sarcastically.

"I wouldn't be surprised," I replied. "After all, I figured these tunnels might come in handy in case we had to sneak around."

"Damn, I never thought you'd be the one hinting at secret little rendez-vous, Mr. Responsible," Jordan said. I pointedly ignored his comment.

"But in all seriousness, there are tunnel entrances hidden throughout the city, if you know where to look. There are also tunnel entrances in the basement of each embassy," I explained.

"So I could theoretically sneak into the Russian embassy and scare the shit out of you while you're fast asleep," Tanner said.

"You could, provided you don't get caught by one of the guards or my father," I replied. Tanner's face took on a fearful expression, no doubt at the thought of running into my father.

"Good to know that we have a way to sneak around and everything but how are we supposed to get into these tunnels in the first place?" Jordan asked.

"Allow me to demonstrate," I said, with a smirk. "Stand back." Jordan and Tanner stepped back, allowing me to kneel in front of the cobblestone with the Society's emblem. I pushed down hard and the tunnel entrance easily swung open, revealing the ladder leading down into the dark depths of the tunnels.

"You sure about this, bro? That looks seriously sketchy," Tanner said, looking down at the tunnel entrance with trepidation.

"I'm with Tanner," Jordan seconded. "That looks like something straight from the It movie. I'm expecting Pennywise the clown to jump out of there at any second now."

"Nothing's going to happen to us. I can assure you that there are no demonic entities hiding down there. Besides, I wouldn't have brought you guys here if I thought you weren't man enough to handle it," I said, swinging my leg over the edge of the tunnel entrance. My foot found the ladder and I started climbing down.

"Oh please, I got this," Tanner said, climbing down after me. Jordan soon followed.

"By the way, you don't have to worry about closing the tunnel entrance. There's a pulley system that will do it automatically," I called up to Jordan. We made it into the tunnels and pulled out our phones, opening them to the flashlight apps. A familiar creaking noise alerted me to the pulleys pulling the entrance closed.

"Okay, so now what? We're not just gonna stand around waiting for some murderer to come and get us, are we?" Tanner asked.

"Of course not. We're going to explore," I replied. I started walking only to realize that Tanner and Jordan weren't following me.

"You guys scared or what?" I asked, an amused grin on my face.

"No offense, but how can you stand being down here? I honestly feel like someone's going to jump us or shoot us down at any moment," Jordan replied.

"You get used to it," I said, with a shrug. "Besides, hardly anyone knows about these tunnels so we're not going to run into anyone."

"I thought you said those Society women knew about the tunnels. What if we run into one of them?" Tanner said, a hint of fear in his voice.

"Chances of that happening are next to nothing. We'll be fine," I reassured. "Besides, I was alone the first time I came down here. It's nothing." Okay, so maybe I had been a little bit freaked out the first time I went into the tunnels but they didn't need to know that. After all, I more or less felt comfortable in the tunnels now and that was the important part.

"Damn, you Russians sure are crazy," Jordan muttered, as he and Tanner cautiously stepped forward.

"We've got nothing to worry about. After all, we have three sets of eyes, three phones, and three flashlights. How much safer could we possibly get?" I asked.

"Oh, I don't know, maybe if these tunnels weren't so creepy and I didn't feel like a murderer was hiding around the corner," Tanner deadpanned.

"Yeah, I'd definitely feel a lot safer if these tunnels were more modern," Jordan replied, glancing at the unlit torches lining the tunnel walls. "You know, some overhead fluorescent lighting would really be nice right now."

"Then that would just defeat the purpose of the whole ancient tunnels concept," I said. "Trust me, we're perfectly safe down here. And if you guys are still scared, the nearest entrance is literally just a few steps away." I pointed at the ladder we had entered from.

"N-no, we're good," Tanner stammered. Jordan meekly nodded in agreement. I raised an eyebrow at them then we slowly headed off. First, I showed them the tunnel entrance near the school, then the one in Jordan's neighbourhood, as well as one downtown, close to Amelia's and Starbucks. There were more tunnel entrances, ones I hadn't really gotten around to finding yet, but they weren't that important right now. I had come down here to show Tanner and Jordan the tunnels and the most useful tunnel entrances to us. We could always find the other entrances later.

I looped back around, taking us to the tunnel entrance underneath the South Korean embassy. Tanner stared up at it in amazement.

"Wow, so if I climbed up this ladder and popped open that trapdoor, would I really end up in the basement of the South Korean embassy?" he asked.

"You bet," I replied. "I wouldn't exactly suggest trying it though, unless you wanted to explain what the tunnels were and how you knew about them."

"Nah, I'm good," Tanner replied. "Besides, I'm sure that conversation would go down well with my parents."

"Couldn't possibly be as bad as coming out to them," Jordan pointed out, causing Tanner to shudder at that memory.

We headed to the tunnel entrance underneath the Russian embassy. Even though I had told Tanner and Jordan about the tunnels, I didn't plan on telling them about the murder plot conversation I had overheard. It was still kind of surreal to me and I couldn't quite wrap my head around it. Secret tunnels, I could handle, but murder plans? Especially when they seemed to involve a girl I kind of cared about? Not so much.

"Hey, if that's the Russian embassy," Tanner said, pointing at the ladder beside us, "Then isn't the American embassy just over that way?" He pointed down the tunnel to our right.

"I think so. Just let me check quickly," I replied. I pulled up the map of the tunnels on my phone and clicked around, to find the Russian and American embassies. Even though the embassies were arranged in a nice, circular fashion around Valancia, the tunnels connecting them were anything but. Based on the map and my experience, the tunnels could go off in any direction, creating roundabout, circuitous routes.

After following a rather curvy tunnel, we ended up below the American embassy.

"Hmm, so this is where your girl lives," Jordan mused, looking up at the ladder that would lead into the American embassy.

"Hey, you should tell her about the tunnels!" Tanner exclaimed, his face brightening.

"Absolutely not," I immediately refuted.

"Why not? That way, you'd be able to have secret meetings with her," Jordan added.

"Down here?" I replied skeptically. If I were to take Grace out, I would take her to a fancy restaurant or the quiet countryside, not a dirty, dusty place like the tunnels.

"No one would ever have to know," Tanner said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. I shook my head, not liking what he was insinuating.

"She already gets into enough trouble," I said, recalling the almost-international incident the night of the clifftop party and the disastrous tree-planting ceremony. "Telling her about the tunnels will only give her more trouble-making opportunities."

"Look, do you wanna get some or not?" Jordan asked. "You can still tell her about the tunnels without mentioning sex. Then you guys could meet down here and, you know, one thing could gradually lead to another and before you know it, you'll be getting some. Let's face it, Alexei, you really need to get laid. Maybe that'll stop you from being so uptight half the time." I gave Jordan a dirty look. Sex was the last thing on my mind right now, especially with Grace. Besides, I was not uptight. I knew I was serious and responsible, but definitely not uptight. Tanner and Jordan both knew I could have fun.

"Besides, it was only one incident! Just an off day, right?" Tanner said. I rolled my eyes. If only they knew Grace's sordid, trouble-making past like I did, they would realize she definitely did not have off days.

"But in all seriousness, I know you like the idea of having somewhere secret to meet up with your girl," Jordan said.

"Maybe just a bit," I admitted, glad that the tunnels were dark enough to hide my blushing cheeks. If anything, I'd want to bring Grace down here so we could talk without anyone hearing us, not have sex.

"See, there's nothing a guy in love wouldn't do," Jordan said, sounding satisfied with himself. "Who knows, maybe bringing her down here would just make her fall even more in love with you." I was pretty sure Grace would be more excited at the thought of having endless miles of tunnel to explore, rather than having alone time with me.

"Hey, what's further down that way?" Tanner asked. I looked down the tunnel to my right and swore I almost saw some sort of light. I checked the map on my phone but didn't see much past the American embassy, just a few tunnels that seemed to loop into each other.

"Well, the light has to be a good sign, right?" Jordan replied. "After all, lights at the ends of tunnels are always good." I rolled my eyes as I followed Tanner and Jordan down the tunnel. A sudden wave of nausea hit me as we continued walking.

"Hey, do you guys think we should turn around or something?" I asked, very aware that I'd be teased about it to no end. "I'm getting the sense that something is actually wrong and that we seriously shouldn't be here." Something about this part of the tunnels just felt creepy and wrong to me.

"Says the one who forced us down here to begin with," Jordan said. "I thought you'd be a lot more gung-ho about this."

"I was until we came to this part of the tunnels," I replied. That creepy foreboding sense I had was only getting worse and I wasn't sure how much longer I could last. Now, I was the one getting worked up about a potential murderer hiding around the corner while Tanner and Jordan were up ahead, prancing along like everything was fine.

"Come on, bruh, what could be so bad about a door?" Tanner said. I looked up to find a set of double doors in front of us. I hesitated, not sure how to answer. Sure, the set of doors in front of us looked perfectly harmless. However, something told me they were just the entrance to something much bigger.

"Exactly," Jordan said, interpreting my silence as agreement. "Nothing's gonna hurt us. We'll be fine." Much to my horror, he barged right through the double doors, Tanner at his heels. It wasn't long before I heard some swearing from the other side of the doors.

"Are you _kidding_ me? Another door?" Jordan exclaimed.

"Damn, this better not turn into one of those door in a door in a door situations," Tanner said, stopping beside Jordan. He turned back, towards me. "You coming, Alexei?"

"No, thanks," I replied, lingering by the open door. I had no intentions of venturing on, not with the knot in my stomach that was getting tighter by the second.

"Ironic how you're the one chickening out on us now. Turns out you're not such a big, bad Russian, huh?" Tanner said, a slight teasing note to his voice. I ignored Tanner's dig at me, forcing myself to take a deep breath.

"I'm serious, guys, I feel like something –" I started, before taking a good look at what Tanner and Jordan were standing in front of. A huge, looming door with ancient gears and wheels. It spanned the entire width of the tunnel, making it look more like a wall. My eye was immediately drawn to the larger-than-life emblem of the Society, sitting among all those gears and wheels.

"Is that…" Jordan started.

"The emblem of the Society," I finished, with a nod.

"Is this where the Society ladies keep all their secrets?" Tanner asked, staring dumbfounded at the door.

"Potentially," I replied. I wasn't sure what else could have been hiding behind such a big door with their emblem on it.

"Damn, this is a huge door. What kind of shit are they hiding down here?" Jordan asked, just as dumbstruck.

"Shit that could potentially change life as we know it," I replied, recalling what my mother had said about the Society and the secrets they kept. If everything that my mother had said in her notes was true, then there was possibly no end to what the Society could be hiding from the whole of Adria.

"Well, damn, is there any way to get in?" Tanner asked, experimentally touching the door. As expected, nothing happened.

"Not that I know of," I replied. I didn't see any obvious way of getting past the door. There were no handles or knobs that I could make out. The door just seemed like one solid panel that spanned the width of the tunnel. "Besides, we really shouldn't be here anyways."

"You were the one who said it was totally fine down here and that we weren't going to run into anyone else," Jordan said. "Wouldn't hurt to spend a few minutes trying to figure out how to get through this door."

"I don't know. Someone could come by or something," I replied, that sense of uneasiness getting worse.

"Like who?" Tanner replied, tracing the Society emblem with his finger.

"Like –" I started before I heard it. The telltale sound of high heels clicking on the stone floor. Someone was coming and they were getting increasingly closer.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Who do you think is down in the tunnels with Alexei, Tanner, and Jordan? Next chapter will be up between Monday night (at the earliest) and Thursday night (at the latest).**


	13. Chapter 13 - That's Adria for You

**As you may have guessed, Ms. Chancellor is also down in the tunnels. But she's not alone! Who else could possibly be in the tunnels?**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Thirteen: That's Adria for You

Tanner, Jordan, and I looked at each other, panicked expressions on our faces. I immediately started looking around for somewhere to hide. Unfortunately, there weren't many options, as I only spotted one potential hiding spot. I swore in Russian as the footsteps got closer and our chances of being discovered exponentially increased. I didn't have time to search for any other hiding spots. I had to act quickly, before it was too late.

"Over here," I whispered. I pulled Tanner and Jordan into an alcove in the side of the tunnel, just beyond the set of double doors. It was just barely big enough for the three of us. We pressed our backs against the tunnel wall, trying to stay hidden in the shadows. I didn't want to think about how dusty and mildewy this alcove was. I only hoped it could keep us hidden until the person passed, entered the doors, or worse, discovered us.

We held our breaths as the person got closer. I soon heard voices and realized there was more than one person.

"She's not ready yet," the first voice said. It was high-pitched and female, with a bit of a regal air to it. The voice sounded extremely familiar and I tried to place it, without success.

"She has to know. It's what her mother would have wanted," the second voice, distinctly male, replied. I felt like I had also heard this voice before.

"It's still too soon. She can barely handle being in Adria as it is. Remember what happened to her at the ball? Imagine if we unleashed all these secrets on her. It would destroy her." My heart sank as I realized they were talking about Grace. Why did she have to be the topic of every clandestine conversation?

"If we didn't tell her, it'd come out eventually, blowing up right in her face. Tell me, how is that better than filling her in now?" The deep, gravelly tones of the voice brought me back to an earlier memory of listening in on another secret conversation in the tunnels. I distinctly recalled hearing this voice in my father's secret meeting the other day. Hell, I had even come face-to-face with the man behind the voice.

"She's far too fragile. She can't know now, not yet anyways."

"Are you planning on keeping this hidden from her for as long as possible? I know the Society is capable of hiding some pretty big secrets but if Grace is anything like her mother, she'll dig. She'll force her way through the web of lies until she uncovers the truth or dies trying. You've got to tell her before it comes down to that."

"Absolutely not. I will do everything in my power to keep Grace from finding out the truth," the first voice replied, in a clipped tone.

"Eleanor, please, she has to know," the second voice begged. Eleanor, as in Eleanor Chancellor, chief of staff to Ambassador Vincent? No wonder that voice sounded familiar. Why would she be discussing Grace, in a clandestine conversation in the tunnels?

"How many times do I have to tell you, I will not –" Ms. Chancellor started. She stopped abruptly, mid-sentence, as a loud chime resonated throughout the tunnel. "Who's there?" Jordan and I both whipped our heads, to turn and glare at Tanner. I instantly recognized his text tone, set to maximum volume as usual. Of course, he would have forgotten to silence his phone before coming into the tunnels.

We heard the clicking high-heels of Ms. Chancellor getting closer, as well as the heavier footsteps of the man who was with her. We squeezed ourselves into the darkest corner of the alcove, hoping they wouldn't come much further. If they did, then I feared that our cover would be blown.

The clicking high-heels stopped but I still heard footsteps getting closer and closer. I tensed up, not even daring to let out my breath. I couldn't imagine the kind of trouble I'd get in with my father for being down in the tunnels. Tanner, Jordan, and I all pressed ourselves further into the shadows of the alcove, hoping to stay hidden.

Suddenly, a shadow passed in front of the alcove. A lone figure continued further down the tunnel. The figure stopped, almost like he was stopping to listen for something. Then, he retreated, turning around to head back where he came from.

"No one's there. The pulley system is probably acting up again." His footsteps gradually got closer. He once again passed in front of the alcove. This time, the flickering light of the torch he held caught his face in profile. I saw a long, jagged, red scar and salt-and-pepper hair. I realized I was right about who was down in the tunnels with Ms. Chancellor. I didn't dare let my breath out, in case he decided to double back and check again.

Luckily, I soon heard the double doors opening and the voices fading. The double doors swung shut, clicking back into place. I waited a few moments to make sure the coast was clear before looking over at Tanner and Jordan. A quick glance was all the confirmation I needed. After taking a quick look up and down the tunnels, to make sure no one else was around, I sprinted out from the alcove, Tanner and Jordan at my heels. We bolted down the tunnels, not caring about our reverberating footsteps, as we headed towards the nearest tunnel entrance. I stopped when we reached the ladder, allowing Jordan and Tanner to clamber up it first. I climbed up last, preparing myself to take the blame for being in the tunnels. Luckily, there wasn't a need for that as Jordan quickly got the tunnel entrance open, allowing us to climb out into a grassy area close to the hot springs that I had discovered with Jamie many years ago. After climbing out, I quickly slammed down the trapdoor that led into the tunnels. Only then did I finally let my breath out.

"What the hell, man?" Jordan exclaimed, turning towards Tanner. "You nearly blew our cover!"

"Sorry, bro, I had no idea I was gonna get a text," Tanner replied, holding his hands up in defense.

"You could have turned off your phone or silenced it," I stated.

"You know me, I can't ever have my phone on silent, in case I miss an important notification," Tanner protested. He was practically addicted to social media and was very prone to bad cases of F.O.M.O., especially during school. It wasn't surprising that he often got caught using his phone during class.

"Still, that could have cost us our lives!" Jordan shouted. "Who knows what would have happened if we were caught down there?"

"Sorry, man," Tanner said, hanging his head in shame. He looked genuinely sorry, which made the situation less dire. It would have been worse if he hadn't been sorry at all.

"Let's just be lucky we got away," I said rationally, trying to prevent a fight from breaking out. "And that we're safe for now."

"For now?" Jordan asked, incredulous. "Are you implying that those people in the tunnels, whoever they are, will try to come after us?"

"No. They won't," I said, just as much for my sake as for Tanner and Jordan's. Even though Ms. Chancellor didn't seem very harmful, I had learned not to underestimate the women in Adria. For all I knew, Ms. Chancellor could have been a part of the Society, making her infinitely more dangerous.

"You sure about that, bro?" Tanner asked, looking at me skeptically.

"Positive," I said, trying to hide the lump in my throat. "They can't actually prove we were down there. Therefore, I don't see why they'd come after us."

"Who are 'they' anyways?" Jordan asked. Tanner simply shrugged. I stayed silent, not wanting to reveal what I knew, for fear of scaring my friends more. However, the look on my face must have given me away because Tanner and Jordan both looked at me expectantly.

"Got something you'd like to share with us?" Jordan asked, in a slightly condescending tone. I didn't say anything, hoping they'd leave it alone. Unfortunately, that didn't seem to be the case.

"You knew, right? You knew who was down in the tunnels with us?" Tanner asked. Again, they both looked at me expectantly.

"Yes. It was Ms. Chancellor, who is Ambassador Vincent's chief of staff, and the prime minister's head of security," I said.

"Wait, is Ms. Chancellor that lady who was with Grace at the ball?" Tanner asked.

"Yes, that's her," I said.

"Damn, she's way shadier than I ever would have expected. It seemed like she was talking about some pretty serious shit back there," Jordan said.

"Tell me about it," I muttered.

"How the hell would she even climb down the ladders in heels? Does she have serious ninja skills or something?" Tanner pondered.

"I wouldn't be surprised," I said, with an emotionless laugh.

"By the way, Alexei, how did you know who the prime minister's head of security was?" Jordan asked. Looks like I was going to have to share more secrets today.

"I met him the other day," I started carefully. There was no way I was telling them about the murder plans, not yet anyways. "He was in the Russian embassy, having a meeting with my father, the ambassador, and the prime minister."

"Damn, I didn't realize your dad was so buddy-buddy with the prime minister," Tanner said, with a suggestive smirk.

"They were probably trying to foster more friendly, diplomatic relations," I said, with a shrug. I didn't exactly think discussing murder plans counted as fostering diplomatic relations though.

"Of course they were trying to create more diplomatic relations. That's why I hate Adria sometimes," Jordan muttered, shaking his head. "Everything is related to politics."

"Well, that's Adria for you," I replied. Right now, I really hated politics and diplomatic relations because they were the reasons why Grace and I couldn't be in a relationship, or even be friends. If we had been in any other country, then I was sure it would have been fine, even with our different ethnicities. However, this was Adria, where ethnicities and diplomatic relations dictated everything about friendships and relationships.

"Hey, you guys wanna jump in the hot springs for a bit?" Tanner asked. We must have inadvertently started walking in the direction of the hot springs. I could practically see the clearing that opened up to the hot springs. I had told Tanner and Jordan about the hot springs, after Grace and Jamie stopped coming to Adria for the summer. It remained one of our secret hideouts, as it did with me and Jamie.

"Sure, I'm down. The hot springs sound nice after everything that just happened," Jordan said. We continued walking until we got to the hot springs. They were the same as always, quiet and peaceful. I sat down by the edge of the water, taking off my shoes so I could dip my feet in. The hot water was nice, allowing me to relax after our adventure in the tunnels. Tanner and Jordan sat down on either side of me, dipping their feet in. Jordan grabbed a cigarette and lit it, filling the air with the smell of cigarette smoke.

"Really, man? Defiling the pristineness of the hot springs with your cigarettes?" Tanner asked.

"What? I need a smoke to take the edge off our crazy little adventure," Jordan said, taking a drag of his cigarette. "Smoking helps me calm down and you know it."

"Fine, whatever," Tanner said, with a sigh. "Just don't litter. I don't want your cigarette butts showing up in the water the next time we're here."

"Relax, man. I wouldn't dream of defiling such a pristine place," Jordan said, throwing Tanner's words back at him. I couldn't help but smile as Tanner rolled his eyes. We sat in a comfortable silence, relaxing by the hot springs. The peaceful environment was very calming and helped me forget about my worries, even if only momentarily. My head felt much clearer than it did earlier, down in the tunnels.

After a while, Jordan stubbed out his cigarette. Then, he stood up, pulling his shirt off in one fluid motion.

"What are you doing?" I asked, as he started unzipping his shorts.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" Jordan asked. He walked back a few steps then ran towards the water, diving in wearing nothing but his boxers.

"Jumping in!" Jordan shouted, after surfacing from the water. He pushed his wet hair off his face. "You guys coming in or what?" Tanner stripped down to his boxers and quickly jumped in after Jordan.

"Alexei, you joining us?" Jordan called out.

"Maybe," I replied. I was perfectly content with sitting by the water and dipping my feet in.

"You know you want to," Tanner called out, in a sing-song voice.

"Don't make us pull you in," Jordan added. That much was true, if I kept refusing for too long, they'd probably pull me in fully-clothed. I couldn't risk getting my phone or my wallet wet or worse, losing them in the water.

"I might jump in later," I replied, seeing if I could hold them off for a bit longer. I didn't want to jump in just yet.

"You chickening out or what? Just jump in here and get it over with already!" Jordan shouted. "A little water's not gonna kill you!"

"Or we can just make you jump in," Tanner said, a devilish grin on his face. Sensing what was about to happen, I quickly stood up and ran away from the edge of the water. I managed to get away but not before a bunch of water splashed my legs.

"There's plenty more where that came from!" Tanner shouted, sending a huge wave of water in my direction. I turned away as some of the water hit my back, soaking my shirt.

"Alright, fine, you win," I said, pulling off my t-shirt and shorts so that I was left in my boxers. I turned around, so I could make a running start into the water when I noticed Tanner staring at my crotch.

"Just so you know, you aren't getting this dick anytime soon," I said, with a smirk.

"I know. Can't blame a guy for appreciating the view though," Tanner said, with another huge grin. I rolled my eyes then sprinted towards the water. I dove in, trying my best to splash as much as possible. Given the looks on Tanner and Jordan's faces when I surfaced, I must have succeeded.

"What was that for?" Tanner asked, giving me a dirty look.

"Just a little revenge, nothing personal or anything," I replied, with a smirk.

"Oh, you are so going down," Jordan replied. Before I could say anything, I was hit in the face with a huge wave of water. I rubbed the water out of my eyes then gamely looked at my friends.

"Game on," I replied, sending more water in their direction. What started out as an innocent ploy to get me into the water turned into an all-out splash war. It was mostly every man for himself, although Tanner and Jordan occasionally ganged up on me. I didn't care that my boxers were probably soaked through by now or that my father would not be pleased to see me coming home soaking wet. This was probably the most fun I had had in a while and I almost didn't want it to end. A crazy, spontaneous splash war was probably just what I needed to relieve the stress from all the surreal things that had already happened this summer. I hadn't felt this carefree in a long time.

We finally got out of the water when the sun started to go down. I hadn't realized it had gotten that late or that we had spent so much time in the water. I didn't have any regrets though, as I put my clothes back on.

"Damn, that was awesome!" Tanner exclaimed, as he shook the water out of his hair.

"Tell me about it," Jordan replied. "I don't think we've ever had such an intense splash war." We walked back towards Valancia. As the looming buildings got closer, I could feel my earlier elation giving way to my usual guarded, careful state.

"Hey, Alexei, you ever gonna make good on your promise to tell Grace about the tunnels?" Tanner asked me. I immediately snapped to attention, not recalling that.

"I never promised that I'd tell Grace about the tunnels?" I said.

"Sure, you did. When we were heading towards the tunnel entrance to the American embassy and we were talking about how you could take Grace down to the tunnels for secret meeting," Jordan said.

"Still. I never promised anything," I said, recalling that earlier conversation. I remembered discussing the idea of taking Grace down to the tunnels but I never said that I'd do anything about it.

"Fine, whatever. Not my problem if you want to die a virgin," Jordan muttered.

"We should head over there right now. The American embassy," Tanner said. "So you can tell her about the tunnels and get onto your secret meetings with her."

"Now?" I asked, incredulously. "Isn't it getting late?"

"So what? No time like the present," Jordan said. "Besides, you know you want to, no, _need_ to, get some and soon. The sooner you tell her, the better."

"Since when did this conversation become sex-related?" I groaned.

"Bro, whenever you bring a girl into the picture, the conversation always becomes sex-related," Tanner said, with a knowing smile. I rolled my eyes, cursing my friends for being so sex-obsessed. I mean, it was probably normal for teenage guys to be obsessed with sex but I felt like Tanner and Jordan were taking things way too far.

Before long, we reached the American embassy.

"Go get 'em tiger," Jordan whispered, pushing me towards the gates. I rolled my eyes as Tanner winked at me. Did my friends seriously have to be this embarrassing? I took a deep breath as I strode towards the nearest guard, hoping my nervousness wasn't showing.

"Good evening, sir, what can I help you with?" the guard asked, with a friendly smile. His friendliness instantly put me at ease. Some of the guards were friendlier than others and it was really a luck of the draw. I never had any idea which guards would be posted at what times, making it hard to predict when the friendlier guards, who were more likely to give me answers, would be out.

"Would I please be able to speak to Grace Blakely?" I asked, trying to sound as nonchalant as possible.

"Sure, just a moment please," the guard replied. He walked over to the guard station and conversed with one of the other guards, in low, hushed tones.

"I'm afraid she's not in at the moment," the guard said, returning back to me. "She left earlier in the day and hasn't returned yet. She's normally back by now so it's a bit strange for her to be out so late. Is it urgent?"

"No," I replied, trying not to sound disappointed. "I just had a couple things to ask her but it can wait."

"Alright. Would you like to leave your name and contact info so I can pass it onto her?" the guard asked. I gave him my name and cell number. Surprisingly, the guard didn't tense up when I told him my name. Maybe he didn't care as much about diplomatic relations.

"I'll make sure this gets to Ms. Blakely," the guard said, noting down my name and cell number. "Have a good night, Mr. Volkov."

"Thank you, sir, you too," I replied. The guard nodded, leaving me on my way.

"Damn, is your girl playing hard to get or what?" Tanner asked, a teasing note in his voice.

"She sure seems to be out a lot. You sure she's not just messing with you?" Jordan asked.

"Relax guys. It's only the second time we've stopped by. I'm sure she's just out with friends," I replied. However, some small part of me couldn't help but wonder if she was purposely trying to avoid me. After all, she did seem pretty embarrassed upon finding out I had brought her home the night of the ball.

"'Friends'," Tanner quoted, with a slightly suspicious tone. "Pretty sure you won't be saying that once you find out she's been cozying up to another guy."

"She wouldn't do that," I replied automatically. At least, I didn't think she'd do that.

"Try saying that if you see her making out with another guy. Maybe then, you'll know," Jordan said. Damn, would that ever suck.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between this Friday night (at the earliest) and next Tuesday night (at the latest). Please bear with me as I've got midterms coming up this week (one on Wednesday and one on Friday). The next chapter will be a long one so hopefully, it'll be worth the wait!**


	14. Chapter 14 - Sparring Partners

**Thank you for being patient with me. This next chapter is one of the longest chapters in Falling for You. If you enjoyed the first gym chapter, then you'll like this chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Fourteen: Sparring Partners

"Remind me why I agreed to this," Jordan said, with a sigh.

"I don't know, maybe because you're such a noble and self-sacrificing human being who would do anything to help out their friends," I replied, with a smirk. I held open the door to the gym in the Russian embassy, letting Tanner and Jordan enter first.

"I knew this was a bad idea from the get-go," Tanner grumbled. "I am so going to regret this."

"As the saying goes, you'll regret the things you don't do more than the things you do," I mused. "So I think the two of you will be just fine."

"I don't think we'll be saying that after you've beaten us into bloody pulps," Jordan muttered as he stepped onto a treadmill. Tanner nodded in agreement.

"Then you tell me, how else am I supposed to get better at sparring?" I asked, stepping onto an adjacent treadmill.

"Beat up those training dummies instead of us?" Tanner replied, getting onto an elliptical. "That's what they're there for, right?"

"It's not the same as sparring against a live human," I said, as I started off doing a nice, gentle jog. "They don't fight back, for one, and they don't react the same way."

"I'd still say the training dummies are a better option than us," Jordan argued. "If my boss yells at me later for not being able to work properly, then I am so pining the blame on you."

"Fine by me," I replied, increasing the speed on my treadmill so that I was running at a quick pace. Ever since that day in the gym where my father had beat me up in sparring, I made sure to work out every day. I needed to prove I was capable of meeting his demands. There was no chance I'd let my father down like that again.

I had been able to work on the bench press and the punching bag exercises by myself. I had made small improvements on those although I wasn't anywhere near my father's expectations yet. Sparring, however, was an entirely different story. It was hard for me to find a sparring partner around here. A lot of the men in the embassy were more fit and strong than me. I wouldn't stand a chance against any of them in sparring. So I had to resort to persuading Tanner and Jordan to be my sparring partners.

After finishing my run, I moved onto a quick ab workout. Then, I headed over to the fight training area, where Jordan was waiting.

"Where's Tanner?" I asked, wondering if he chickened out last minute.

"In the changing room, strapping a bunch of pillows to himself," Jordan said. I almost burst out laughing but managed to keep myself composed.

"I don't know how well the pillows will help." I grabbed a set of hand wraps and started wrapping my hands. "They wouldn't be the best at cushioning blows, especially if they're the extra soft kind."

"Well, then I'm not sure if hockey goalie padding would be any better," Jordan said glumly. I looked at Jordan and realized he was decked out head-to-toe in hockey goalie padding. Chest padding, goalie gloves, leg padding, everything. He even had a goalie helmet with a full- face cage. I wondered where he got all that stuff from because hockey wasn't a huge sport in Adria.

"It might help. It seems more credible than pillows." Just then, Tanner walked, or more like waddled, out of the men's changing room, covered head-to-toe in pillows.

"How are the pillows looking?" Tanner asked, his voice slightly muffled. Jordan stood up and walked around Tanner, adjusting a few straps here and there.

"Good to go, bro. Good luck out there," Jordan said. Tanner slowly waddled into the sparring circle. I finished wrapping my hands and quickly stretched them, to make sure the wrapping wasn't too loose or too tight. I then joined Tanner in the ring. I told Tanner and Jordan they could fight back if they wanted or just stand there. Either way, I just wanted a real person to spar with.

As I turned to face Tanner, I saw that he was already quivering with fear. That made me feel bad for putting my friends through this, even though I said I'd go easy on them.

"Ready to go?" I asked, getting into a fight stance.

"Ready when you are, bro," Tanner gulped. I heard the nervous tremor in his voice and hoped this wouldn't be too traumatic for him. I took a deep breath then moved forward with a punch. It just grazed the edge of a pillow. I was surprised that Tanner managed to move out of the way so fast, especially with all the pillows. I went in for another hit and yet again was surprised when Tanner moved out of the way. He was more agile than I thought. I guess our gym sessions had really benefitted him.

We continued moving in a cycle of me attempting to land a hit on him and him dodging me. I hadn't expected Tanner to fight back but I also wasn't expecting him to dodge so many of my hits. Nonetheless, it was still good practice for me, having to work to get a hit in. I did get in quite a few hits, given my sparring experience. None of them were very hard, just light taps. However, after a light tap on his arm, I followed up with a punch to the chest that must have been a little too hard. It sent Tanner straight down to the mats, with a muted thud.

"What the hell, bro?!" Tanner exclaimed. He was clutching his chest in pain and I instantly felt bad for hitting him so hard.

"Sorry, man. I didn't realize I had gotten you that hard," I replied, kneeling down beside Tanner to make sure he was okay.

"I thought you weren't supposed to seriously injure your opponents in sparring!"

"Yeah, sorry about that, bro. I guess I learned a slightly different definition of sparring." Never once did my father tell me we were only supposed to lightly tap our opponent during sparring. With him, it was always all or nothing, all-out hits or defeat on the mats. It had taken me a long time to realize we had been playing an entirely different game.

"Tell me about it, I'm going to be sore for a whole month!" Tanner was still clutching his chest in pain, his face contorted in agony.

"You'll be fine in a week, two at the most." I did my best to sound reassuring but it didn't seem to help. Tanner just glared at me as Jordan helped him off the mats and onto the bench. Now I felt really bad for doing this to them, especially when I promised I wouldn't seriously injure them. I wondered if Tanner and Jordan would ever forgive me for putting them through this. I took a quick water break then turned to face Jordan.

"Oh, I guess it's my turn to go through Hell?" Jordan asked, his voice devoid of emotion. I almost cracked a smile but kept my face still, given that I was the Hell. I just nodded and led Jordan to the sparring circle.

As I got into a fight stance and turned to face Jordan, I noticed that he too looked pretty scared. However, he hid his fear better than Tanner, which I had to give him credit for. I could imagine it wouldn't be easy for them to face me in sparring, similar to how it was hard for me to face my father in sparring.

"Ready, bro?" I asked.

"Now or never, right?" Jordan replied. "After all, you're the one doling out all the damage." I waited a moment then went in for a punch. Jordan managed to block it and surprisingly, he tried to fight back. However, he couldn't throw a punch to save his life. I easily dodged his punch and continued getting in hits. We quickly got into a nice rhythm, although I got in many more hits than he did. After going at it with the punches for a while, I switched things up with a low roundhouse kick. However, I got Jordan with a lot more force than intended because I easily swept his legs out from underneath him. He fell into a crumpled heap on the mats, landing on his side.

"Bro, seriously? I did not sign up for this," Jordan moaned.

"Sorry, man, like I said before with Tanner, I didn't intend on putting so much power into that kick," I replied. I knelt down beside Jordan and quickly assessed him for injuries. He looked fine and I assumed the hockey goalie padding had done a pretty good job of protecting him. However, he would probably be a bit sore, which was normal.

"Can't you control how much power you put into your kicks?" Jordan asked.

"Usually. Though if I'm quickly switching from one move to another, I don't focus on power as much as getting the sequence right," I replied.

"Which means you go all hardcore and hit us with everything you've got, right?" Tanner added.

"Unfortunately, yes," I replied. "Sorry that you guys both had to be at the receiving end of that." Tanner and Jordan didn't say anything; instead, they both glared at me. I sighed as I helped Jordan get up.

"Beating up your friends, Lyosha? You don't strike me as the cruel, sadistic type." I turned around to see Mikhail standing by one of the punching bags, a hint of a smile on his face. Officially, he was my father's personal driver but Mikhail felt like more of a dad to me than my father ever did. Mikhail was the one who had been there for me through every scraped knee and cruel punishment. He had also been there for all the good times too, like awards ceremonies at school and my drivers' license road test, which I passed with flying colours. He was the one who helped me with my homework when I was younger and gave me life advice when I got older. Mikhail was the person that I felt closest to and trusted with my deepest secrets and biggest fears.

"Not really," I replied, getting a raised eyebrow from Mikhail. "I just needed a sparring partner and figured my friends would do."

"Sparring partner?" Mikhail asked, his interest piqued.

"My father wanted me to practice sparring, among other things. It's a long story." I cringed at the memory of my father pushing me past my limits in the gym. As terrible as that day was, the worst part of it was easily the sparring, where he had knocked me to the ground like I was a rag doll.

"His dad was basically trying to put him through Hell," Tanner interjected. "Sparring, as well as death by punching bag, and killer weight on the bench press."

"You could have asked me to be your sparring partner," Mikhail said, surprising me.

"I couldn't do that to you," I immediately refuted.

"I wouldn't mind, Lyosha. I'm tougher than you think. I can take a beating, you know," Mikhail replied, a hint of a smile on his lips.

"It wouldn't be right to me. I couldn't hurt you like that." I couldn't stand the thought of harming Mikhail, the man who had raised me as if I was his own child. I couldn't do that to him, not after all the love he had given me over the years.

"I've probably been hurt worse than you could ever hurt me. The training for the Russian Special Forces is much more demanding than anything you could put me through. Besides, all the embassy staff have to go through basic self-defence training every year. I'll be able to handle anything you throw at me." Mikhail used to be an agent with the Russian Special Forces, which was where he had met my father. Originally, he had planned to go into engineering but after the love of his life passed away in the 1990's, due to the political dissent that led to the fall of the USSR, he lost his passion in engineering and will to live. Eventually, he joined the army, and later, the Russian Special Forces, as a way to numb the pain within himself.

"I didn't know that self-defence training was required for the staff here."

"It's part of the job description, the ability to defend yourself in case the embassy gets attacked. That's why there are mandatory self-defence classes every year." Mikhail gave me a curious look. "You should consider coming to the self-defence classes. They're coming up pretty soon. I'm surprised your father never told you about them."

"He probably wanted to train me his own way." Mikhail nodded in agreement, a sad look in his eyes.

"Anyways, would you like to spar, Alexei?" Mikhail asked, the sad look in his eyes replaced by a playful glint.

"Of course." After all, the reason I came to the gym today was to have a good sparring session. "First one down on the mats or out of the ring loses?"

"Just like your father always instructed you," Mikhail said, with a hint of a smile. We both stepped into the sparring circle, not wearing any protective gear except for hand wraps. We were both used to getting hard hits so protective gear would have been overkill. I got into a fight stance and looked over at Mikhail. He nodded ever so slightly, an indication that our fight had begun.

We started circling each other, neither of us making an obvious move towards the other. I wondered if Mikhail was a passive fighter or if he was waiting for me to strike first, to get a feel for my fighting style. As he carefully watched me, I decided that he was testing me and struck out first. As predicted, Mikhail easily blocked me. After sparring with Tanner and Jordan, this was the kind of challenge I was looking for. Mikhail and I moved in a rapid cycle of blocking and striking each other. I had to admit, Mikhail was really good at sparring. He was certainly at the same level as my father.

I got in a good kick to Mikhail's side. I saw the pain flash in his eyes and instantly regretted kicking him so hard but Mikhail quickly recovered, the pain in his eyes turning back into concentration. He made a move to punch me but I easily blocked it. However, a sharp, searing pain in my shoulder made me realize that first punch was a distraction so that I wouldn't see the real punch coming. I cried out in pain, only to be hit with a sharp back kick to the gut. Before I had a chance to recover, I felt a leg wrap around my knees in a sweeping, low roundhouse kick. My knees buckled underneath me and I fell to the mats, before I had a chance to regain my balance.

"Damn, bruh, you alright?" Tanner exclaimed. He, Jordan, and surprisingly, Mikhail, all rushed to my side.

"I'm fine," I said.

"You're not fine. I hit you way too hard and it's my responsibility to make sure you're alright," Mikhail said.

"I'm fine," I repeated. Even though I could take care of myself after a rough round of sparring, it was nice to see that Mikhail was looking after me. I wasn't used to my sparring opponents checking on me after I was down on the mats. After all, my father didn't care if I got knocked down to the mats. He would stand there intimidatingly, waiting for me to get back up, even if he had just put me in intense pain. As far as I remembered, my father never once asked if I was alright or if I was in too much pain. He always expected me to keep going and push through the pain.

"You're tensing up in pain; you're clearly not fine." Mikhail gently tilted my face up so that I was forced to look right at him. I saw the worry and love in his eyes, almost like he really did regret hitting me so hard. He was looking at me like a dad would and in that instant, I almost wished he were my biological father. Mikhail cared about me so much, making me wish my father was more like that.

"Relax, Lyosha," Mikhail said calmly. He placed his hand on my arm, his gentle touch calming me down. "I'm sorry for hitting you so hard. I wanted to see how well you would handle that move. I should have known it was much too powerful for you. Can I take a look at your shoulder?" I managed to pull myself up into a sitting position. I painstakingly pulled my shirt off, allowing Mikhail to take a look at my shoulder. He grimaced and I seriously wondered how bad my shoulder looked.

"Just as I predicted. It's already starting to bruise. I'm sorry, Lyosha," Mikhail said. I looked down at my shoulder and sure enough, there was already a large red spot that would no doubt turn into a bruise.

"It's fine. My father's put me through worse." My eyes flicked down to the bruise on my chest. It was still a nasty-looking, large, dark purple spot, even though it had been a week since I had sparred with my father. Mikhail's eyes followed mine. He shook his head when he realized what I was looking at.

"Is that from your father?" he asked, although the look on his face told me he already knew the answer. I just nodded, given there wasn't much else I could say. Mikhail looked at me sadly and I knew what he was thinking about. My cold-hearted, ruthless father who didn't care if he put others, even his own son, in vast amounts of pain.

"I got you this; I'm not sure if it would help," Jordan said, handing me a small ice pack.

"Thanks, man," I said. I quickly put my shirt back on then grabbed the ice pack, holding it against my injured shoulder. I hadn't even realized that Jordan had left to grab me an ice pack but I was glad he did. The cold immediately soothed the burning, searing pain in my shoulder.

"Good thinking, Jordan," Mikhail said, nodding in approval. "The cold will help the initial swelling go down. After that, you can use heat packs to increase circulation to the area. I'd recommend using an ice pack on and off for the next day or two, then switching to heat packs." I nodded, mentally noting Mikhail's advice. I wished I had known that a lot earlier, so that previous bruises from my father would have healed faster. Usually, I just left bruises to heal on their own, without giving them any special medical attention.

"What else did your father want you to work on, other than sparring?" Mikhail asked.

"Punching bag for ten minutes. Punching it, kicking it, whatever, as long as I kept up a steady rhythm and good technique. He also started with my usual weight on the bench press and made me do five reps. Then, he added five pounds at a time and made me do five reps, until I couldn't keep going," I recalled.

"It's doable," Mikhail said, after a pause. "It will take a lot of hard work and effort but it's doable. Would you like me to give you some pointers?"

"Any advice would be much appreciated." Mikhail walked us over to the punching bag.

"There's not too much I can help you with here. I'd suggest you pick out a sequence of about four or five moves and work your way up to ten minutes in slow, steady increments. Once you can do that pretty well, you can start adding in more variation and gradually start increasing your speed."

"Can you time me? I'd like to try that out now." I already had a sequence of four moves planned in my head.

"Not with your bad shoulder." Mikhail looked at me warily.

"I'd have to agree with him, bro. I don't want you busting yourself up any more," Tanner said.

"How else am I supposed to improve?" I fired back, a little too harshly. "I need to do this, not just for my father's sake, but for my own." More than anything, I wanted to prove that I was capable of meeting and exceeding my father's demands, and most of all, that I was worthy to him. Despite all the ways he put me down, I would keep working hard until I was finally worthy in his eyes.

Mikhail finally relented, not being able to argue against my logic. He let me have a go at the punching bag, but only for two minutes. I easily could have gone on for longer but after Jordan disapprovingly glanced at my shoulder, I forced myself to step away from the punching bag. We headed over to the bench press next.

"Again, the best way to go about this is to start with your usual weight and work up in nice, steady increments," Mikhail said, as he started loading the weights onto the bar. "How much weight did you get to with your father?"

"235 pounds," I replied.

"I'd imagine your father would want you to be able to bench at least that much," Mikhail mused. He had finished loading my usual weight, 205 pounds, on the bar, and gestured for me to get down on the bench. He got into position to spot me then told me to do ten reps. Easy enough. We worked our way up to 220 pounds before stopping. By then, my arms were quivering from exhaustion. I think my bruised shoulder had a lot to do with it.

"Make sure you can do at least ten reps with good form before adding more weight," Mikhail suggested, as I sat up. That made sense because if I could do ten reps, then five reps would definitely be doable. "You did really good today, Lyosha, I'm impressed." Mikhail smiled at me as he unloaded the weight from the bar.

"Thanks," I replied awkwardly. I wasn't sure how to react to compliments. I was so used to receiving criticism, especially from my father, making compliments a rare occurrence.

"You look like you've got something on your mind," Mikhail commented.

"That maneuver that you used to knock me down on the mats, would you be able to teach me that?" I asked, after a moment's hesitation. Admittedly, it had been sitting in the back of my mind this whole time. Mikhail looked surprised, to say the least, but quickly recovered.

"If you're really intent on learning it, then I can teach you," Mikhail said. "It does take a fair amount of practice to get it right." That wasn't going to stop me. If anything, it'd motivate me more and push me to practice harder until I finally got it right.

"I'll do whatever it takes," I said firmly. Mikhail led us back to the fight training area. He slowly demonstrated the maneuver to me, taking the time to explain each step and the technicalities behind it. He gently performed the move a few times on Tanner, who was less than thrilled to act as a punching bag again. I tried the maneuver a couple times on Jordan but couldn't get it to work very well, as it involved a lot of spinning and shifting of momentum. I lost my balance and fell on my ass, causing Tanner and Jordan to laugh at me.

"Nice to see you, instead of us, down on the ground for a change," Jordan said, holding out his hand to help me up.

"That's the last time you'll see me on the ground," I said, pulling myself up.

"We'll just have to see about that," Mikhail said, with a smirk. "If you keep sparring with me, Lyosha, you may find yourself down on the mats more than you'd like." I smiled at Mikhail, then realized the meaning behind his words.

"So you'll spar with me again?" I asked, trying not to sound too hopeful.

"Of course. If you ever need a sparring partner or someone to help you train, let me know. I'd be more than happy to help, provided I don't need to drive your father around or attend a meeting."

"Thanks for offering to help. I'll let you know when I'd like to spar." I was so glad that Mikhail was on my side. He had always been there for me and had never let me down.

Someone's stomach loudly rumbled. I looked over at Tanner, who had a bit of a guilty expression on his face.

"Was that you, bro?" I asked.

"Guilty as charged," Tanner replied. "I don't know about the rest of you but I'm starving." I glanced at the clock on the wall and was surprised to see that it was already past one. I couldn't believe we had spent the whole morning in the gym.

"I can take you all out for lunch. My treat," Mikhail offered.

"That sounds great. Thank you so much," I replied.

"Hey, you should invite that American chick out for lunch with us," Jordan said. Mikhail looked at me, raising his eyebrows in surprise, but thankfully, didn't ask any questions.

"Yeah, you definitely should, bro!" Tanner agreed. "It's about time you finally got her number. And maybe you could tell her about, you know." I gave him a pointed look for bringing that up. I already knew what he was talking about. The tunnels. There was no way I'd tell Grace about the tunnels, even though Tanner and Jordan told me to do it. For all I knew, Grace could accidentally cause a scandal that would result in the whole of Valancia learning about the tunnels. It didn't seem that far-fetched to imagine her popping out of a tunnel entrance in the middle of a crowded street.

We headed off to shower and change, reconvening by the main entrance of the embassy half an hour later.

"I'll grab the car," Mikhail said, taking a set of keys out of his pocket. "You can head over to the American embassy if you'd like." I could have sworn he gave me a knowing look. Was it really that obvious I had feelings for Grace? I sighed, as I walked over to the American embassy, Tanner and Jordan at my heels. They really needed to stop meddling in my love life.

The guard sternly looked at me as I approached the gates of the American embassy. He didn't look as friendly as the last guard I had talked to.

"Hi, is Grace in right now?" I asked, trying not to be intimidated by the guard.

"Grace?" the guard barked.

"Yes, Grace Blakely, the ambassador's granddaughter. Blonde hair, brown eyes, average –"

"I know who you're talking about," the guard said, rudely cutting me off. "She's not in right now. She left this morning and hasn't returned since."

"Alright, thank you for your time, sir," I said, turning around to leave. However, the guard suddenly grabbed my shoulder, turning me back around to face him. He studied me closely, making me feel nervous under his critical gaze.

"Hey, aren't you that kid who always stops by and asks if Grace is in?" the guard questioned. It sounded like a direct accusation and I couldn't help but feel like I had done something wrong.

"I've just stopped by a couple times," I meekly replied.

"I don't know what you want with the ambassador's granddaughter but it can't be anything good."

"I just wanted to see if she'd like to hang out."

"I'm keeping my eye on you, kid." He finally took his hand off my shoulder but his scrutinizing gaze remained on me. "You mess with her, you get hurt. Understood?"

"Of course, sir," I replied, trying to keep my voice from shaking. However, it didn't work and only made the guard look at me warily.

"Good." The guard turned around, which I took as my cue to leave. Yet, I swore I felt the guard's eyes on me as I walked back to the safety of the Russian embassy.

"Damn, that guard really had it out for you," Tanner said.

"Tell me about it," I muttered. "I felt like I was about to be prosecuted."

"Looked like he was cock-blocking to the extreme," Jordan said. I gave him a dirty look.

"Hey, just telling the truth, man," Jordan said, with a shrug. I rolled my eyes as Mikhail pulled up in front of the Russian embassy. I hopped into the passenger seat, immediately claiming shotgun for myself. Luckily, Tanner and Jordan didn't try to fight me for it as they climbed into the backseat.

"Well, it looks like it's just us guys for lunch," Mikhail said, as he pulled onto the road. "How do you all feel about burgers? There's an upscale burger joint in the arts district that makes delicious beef and bacon burgers." My mouth immediately watered at the thought of sinking my teeth into a meaty, juicy burger after a long, tough workout. It was like the perfect reward for a job well done at the gym.

When we reached the burger joint, there was still a line, despite it being past the prime lunch hour. Mikhail let the three of us get out of the car while he looked for a parking spot. As Tanner, Jordan, and I reached the back of the line, we were instantly hit with the wonderful aroma of grilled beef. We looked at each other expectantly, knowing that we were in for a treat.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What did you think of Mikhail? Next chapter will be up between Friday night (at the earliest) and Wednesday night (at the latest). It will feature an event from the books. Any guesses as to what that is?**


	15. Chapter 15 - What the Hell is Going On?

**My apologies for not posting this chapter when I said I would. School has been crazy lately; my thermodynamics & kinetics class is keeping me especially busy (since I've got lab reports and assignments due every week). Also, there were a lot more things that needed fixing in this chapter than I realized. However, this is a long chapter so I hope it was worth the wait! **

**Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Fifteen: What the Hell is Going On?!

I laid the heat pack on my shoulder, sighing in relief. My shoulder was still quite sore from yesterday's gym session but a lot of the swelling had gone down, thanks to Mikhail's advice. The bruise wasn't as bad as usual and I was sure that it'd heal in no time. I grabbed my phone and my earbuds. I put on a calm, relaxing EDM playlist and closed my eyes. I was taking a day off from working out, to let my shoulder rest. Normally, my father would have yelled at me if he saw me in bed during the day. However, I knew he was busy with meetings today and wouldn't have time to check on me.

I didn't know how long I laid in bed listening to EDM or when I drifted off to sleep. It was only when my phone rang, jolting me out of my slumber, that I realized I had fallen asleep. I blinked a few times, coming to my senses, and grabbed my vibrating phone from beside me. I checked the caller ID and saw that it was Jamie.

"Hey man, what's up?" I said. I hadn't heard from Jamie in a while so this was definitely a nice surprise.

"Bro, what the hell happened to keeping my sister safe?" Jamie snarled, cutting right to the chase.

"What do you mean?" I replied, trying to sound casual. I didn't like where this was headed already. So much for a nice surprise.

"You know what I mean. The night of the ball. She flipped out, had a panic attack, passed out, and you weren't there for her? What the hell, man?! I trusted you to keep an eye on her." My anger immediately flared upon hearing Jamie's accusations.

"I wasn't there for her? Bro, I was the only one there in the street when she started crying and screaming! I was the one who stayed with her and brought her back to the safety of the American embassy! How is that not being there for her?"

"You could have watched her a little more closely to make sure she wouldn't have freaked out in the first place. You shouldn't have left her on her own, man; you know how fragile she is." I hesitated because yes, I had left Grace on her own. I had practically abandoned her but I had to protect myself too.

"Bro, why the hell did you leave her? I wouldn't be surprised if that caused her panic attack." I froze, Jamie's words finally sinking in. Had Grace's crying and screaming the night of the ball really been due to a panic attack?

"You're being awfully quiet. You got something you'd like to say?" It was hard to miss the condescension in Jamie's voice.

"Grace had a panic attack the night of the ball?" I managed to get out.

"Um, yeah? What else could it possibly have been?" I stayed silent. I had no idea how to explain Grace's panicked, frenzied state the night of the ball. If I didn't know any better, I would have thought it was a drug-induced hallucination.

"Oh my god, do you know _anything_ about Grace's panic attacks?" Jamie groaned. I shook my head, even though he wouldn't have been able to see it.

"That explains a lot of things," Jamie muttered. "How come you didn't know?"

"I wasn't exactly informed on the issue," I replied, unable to keep the pointedness out of my voice.

"It was confidential shit. Grandpa said –" Jamie suddenly stopped, like he realized he had said too much. "You know what, forget I said anything." However, I wasn't going to forget that so easily. Not when I suddenly had a very reasonable explanation for Grace's behaviour the night of the ball. Now, I just had to confirm it with her.

"So you tell me, what happened to Grace the night of the ball? I'd like to hear your version of the story." I sighed. It looked like Jamie wasn't going to let go of this so easily.

"Everything was going fine at the ball. I saw her alone and my friends convinced me to dance with her. So I did. I danced with her, I talked with her. It was going great until my father showed up. I freaked out and left because I didn't want my father to see me with her. Later, as I was heading home, I found in her the street in this awful panicked, frenzied state. She kept screaming about a man who had murdered her mother. I tried my best to calm her down but she ended up passing out. I brought her back to the American embassy and stayed by her side until your grandfather came. I explained what happened to him. I was hoping he'd tell me what was going on with Grace but he didn't say much." Jamie just sighed and muttered something about Grace never learning from her mistakes. I suddenly remembered one of the conclusions I had drawn that evening and my promise to tell Jamie.

"She wasn't being herself. I didn't know what to think. I had never seen her like that. It was almost like she had turned into a monster. Your grandfather told me that everyone thought the worst of it was over but that didn't appear to be the case, especially with what happened that night." Jamie was silent for a moment before he spoke.

"I guess she still hasn't learned from all that time spent in psychiatric hospitals and falsely accusing people of murder." Grace had spent time in a psychiatric hospital? She had called herself crazy when she was in that frenzied, panicked state and had boldly declared that her mother had been murdered. Behaviour like that may indeed have been enough to put her in a psych ward. However, I couldn't even imagine Grace being trapped in a psych ward, with chains strapping her down. I would never wish for her to go through that sort of torture and couldn't understand why her family thought that was the best for her.

"Still, that should have given you even more incentive to look after her," Jamie said. "I was practically trusting you with her life, man. And then you go and leave her to fend for herself. Not cool."

"It's complicated," I started. I really didn't want to go into detail about how my father wanted me to stay away from Grace at all costs, especially when Jamie was giving me instructions to do the exact opposite.

"How hard can it possibly be? All I'm asking you to do is hang out with her, talk to her, make sure she's settling in, keep her safe. It's not rocket science."

"Sure as hell seems like it when my father wants me to avoid Grace at all costs."

"Alexei, who cares what your father thinks? This is Grace we're talking about here. I don't know if you've noticed but she needs someone to look after her at all times."

"I've been trying my best, even with my father's orders to stay away from her."

"Since when did you care about following your father's orders so much? Surely, he understands that Grace needs to be supervised at all times."

"He understands that. He just doesn't want me to be the one doing the supervising."

"See, that's the problem, man. You're the only one that I trust to look after Grace. You're the only one in Valancia who knows her like I do. There's no one else I'd trust more than you to look after her. Unfortunately, you've been doing a pretty crap job at it so far."

"I've been meaning to talk to her but she's always out of the embassy when I ask for her. Besides, I've got my own life to deal with too."

"Like following your father's orders?" I didn't say anything but Jamie and I both knew he had gotten me. "Geez, I'm sure he'll understand that you need to look after Grace if you bothered to explain yourself instead of cowering under him." That was a low blow. Sure, Jamie had a strict father, but he didn't understand what it was like to be at the mercy of a cold-hearted, Russian, military man. He didn't understand that following my father's orders wasn't just necessary, but essential to my survival. After all, my father was willing to beat me, or worse, if I didn't follow his orders.

"It's not just about my father. Have you considered our ethnicities and how they play a role in diplomatic relationships? I'm Russian. You and Grace are American. Things are tense enough already between Russia and the US here in Adria. I don't need to make things worse by being Grace's babysitter."

"Wow, Alexei, I never thought you'd use diplomatic relationships as an excuse. Looks like you really are eager to please your father. That's new."

"Look, I'm just trying to do the best thing that will keep everyone happy." I tried my hardest to stay calm. I couldn't believe Jamie was assuming that I was choosing my father over him. Because I wasn't. I just wanted to please both my father and my best friend. I hadn't realized it'd be so difficult, especially since I was failing miserably at both.

"Face it, diplomatic relationships and toeing the line will only get you so far. Eventually, something's going to give. And you're going to have to pick. So I suggest you choose wisely. I really hope you'll come to reason and understand just how much Grace needs to be watched. I'm still counting on you to do this for me. You hear me?"

"Yes, of course."

"I mean it, Alexei. Grace is fragile and you know it. She needs to be watched at all times. I can't force you to choose but I'm only hoping you'll pick wisely when the time comes. If something happens to Grace, something much more serious, I hope you'll make the right decision. If you don't, you know how things will fall apart and diplomatic relations will be destroyed. I'm counting on you, bro. I can only hope you'll see it through." With that, Jamie hung up. I stared at my phone in disbelief. That was easily the worst fight I had ever had with Jamie. He had always respected my father's strictness and rules, given that he had also grown up with a military father. However, I never thought Jamie would make me choose between him and my father. As much as I disliked my father my times, he was the only immediate family that I had left. I wasn't sure if I could give up on that so easily for my best friend, even though Jamie didn't seem much like a friend right now.

I suddenly decided to go for a walk, hoping the fresh air would help me clear my head. I grabbed my phone and my wallet, noting that it was already past lunch. I figured I'd grab some food while I was out. I made my way down the stairs and out the main entrance of the Russian embassy. As I passed the American embassy gates, I noticed one of the guards on duty was the really friendly one I had talked to the other day. He caught my eye and smiled at me.

"Hi, Mr. Volkov, how are you today?" he asked.

"I'm alright, and yourself?" I replied, like the friendly, amicable embassy kid I was raised to be.

"Not too bad myself, thanks," the guard said. "In case you were wondering, Grace isn't in right now." That honestly didn't surprise me. I seriously wondered what she was doing with her time, since she was never in the embassy.

"Alright, thanks for letting me know. It's a shame she's so hard to get a hold of."

"What can I say, girls, right? Honestly, the female mind is way too difficult to comprehend." He shook his head then laughed. I couldn't help but laugh too. Finally, someone who understood my girl problems, even though his situation probably wasn't quite as complex as mine.

"Anyways, enjoy the day while you can. It looks like it's going to rain." I looked up, noticing the overcast sky for the first time. I hadn't bothered to check the weather forecast before heading out and thus, had neglected to bring an umbrella.

"Thanks for the heads up. I was planning to head downtown."

"I'd hurry if I were you. It looks like it's going to start pouring any minute now," the guard noted. "I'll see you around, Mr. Volkov. Enjoy your day and stay dry!"

"Same to you," I replied, with a friendly smile. I made a mental note to find out what this guard's name was, if I ever saw him out on duty again. He seemed like a useful ally to have. Besides, I could use a pair of eyes in the American embassy.

I crossed the street then turned onto one of the steep roads that led to the palace and downtown. As I walked, I noticed the sky getting increasingly darker, a sure sign of storm clouds rolling in. I picked up the pace, hoping I could reach a café before it started to rain. Just as I turned onto a street that would take me closer to downtown, a hand suddenly grabbed my shoulder. I turned around, coming face-to-face with my father.

"Alexei, what are you doing out here?" my father yelled at me, not bothering to say hi. "I thought we mutually agreed that you were to tell me whenever you were heading out. I was not aware of this little outing of yours."

"I wanted to head outside for some air. I didn't think it'd be necessary to tell you," I retorted, instantly regretting it. My father sharply glared at me and I knew that if we were alone, he would have punched me. Or tackled me onto the ground. Or both.

"We agreed that you were to tell me where you were going and who you were going out with, if you ever left the embassy. That includes solo outings." I didn't remember him mentioning that when he lectured me the night of the ball.

"Am I not allowed to have a spontaneous solo outing without your approval?"

"For all I know, it could have been a ruse to meet with the American girl."

"What if I just wanted to head out on my own, to get some fresh air and clear my head? Is that really an issue?"

"Yes. You could have run into someone you knew, such as the American girl."

"What's wrong with spontaneously going out with a friend?"

"First of all, I wouldn't know where you were in case of an emergency."

"I'd make sure to call or text."

"Just like you remembered to text or call about this supposed outing?" My father raised an eyebrow at me, for contradicting myself.

"I got into a fight with Jamie and needed to clear my head. I wasn't thinking straight and rushed out, neglecting to tell you. Besides, I thought you'd be busy with meetings all day so you wouldn't have picked up."

"Stop making excuses for yourself; you can't be this careless again, is that understood?" My father stepped closer to me. He reeked of cigarettes and I wondered if some of his meetings were really just smoke breaks to gossip about politics. I wouldn't have been surprised.

"How is that being careless? I was just angry." My father gave me a death glare and I knew I had crossed a line.

"I have taught you many times that you need to act rationally, rather than impulsively. Yet, you are ruled by your emotions. Your actions are based entirely on emotional whims, instead of rational thought. How many times have you gotten yourself into an aimless situation, all because you acted without second thought? How hard is it to start using your brain to sensibly think things through?" I couldn't stop myself from hanging my head down in shame. It was embarrassing to be lectured by my father in public, even if no one could understand what we were saying.

"From now on, I will be texting to check in with you when you're out, is that clear?" I started to protest but kept my mouth shut after my father gave me another death glare. "I need to make sure that you're telling the truth when you go out. I wouldn't put it past you to lie about your whereabouts." My father looked at me pointedly.

"Since when have I ever lied about where I was?" I hadn't ever lied to him when I had gone out, at least, not that I could remember.

"That is for you to know. I trust that you have been telling the truth but for all I know, you easily could have been sneaking around behind my back." I suddenly remembered that I had lied to him about my whereabouts, more than once actually. The first was when I had discovered the tunnels, while waiting for my laundry. The second was when I had showed Tanner and Jordan the tunnels. I wasn't exactly lying in both cases. I actually had done my laundry and I actually had been with Tanner and Jordan. I just didn't tell my father about the tunnel part each time. Was it possible he had known I was in the tunnels and had heard me eavesdropping on his clandestine conversation in the basement of the Russian embassy? Did my father even know about the tunnels in the first place? I wouldn't be surprised if he did.

"I have been disappointed by your behaviour today. I expect you to be back at the embassy for dinner. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got another meeting to attend." My father expectantly glanced down at me then headed off in the direction of the palace. I stared after my father, getting the feeling that he was off to some suspicious meeting. I wondered who he could possibly be meeting with in the palace. Surely, he wouldn't be meeting with Princess Ann to reminisce about my mother. As far as I was concerned, my father didn't seem to be affected by my mother's disappearance. It was almost like he never really loved her in the first place. I seriously wondered why they had gotten married, if it wasn't for love. However, the quickly darkening sky and my growling stomach pulled me out of my thoughts. I needed to get some food and find a safe place sheltered from the rain, and fast. I decided that Japanese food sounded really good right now.

Just as I reached my favourite Japanese eatery, it started raining. It was only a light drizzle but I was sure it'd build up into a greater downpour, given how dark the sky was. I quickly walked inside, grabbing my usual order, a teriyaki salmon bowl loaded with salmon, rice, seaweed, avocado, and edamame, and a matcha smoothie. By the time I sat down to enjoy my food, it was pouring outside. The rain was gushing down, creating large puddles in the streets. I watched as people crowded to find shelter under the awnings of outdoor cafes or inside the double-decker buses. Nobody in their right mind would be outside in weather like this.

I had somewhat calmed down, from my fight with Jamie and the lecture from my father. The sound of the rain definitely helped. The rain always had a calming effect on me and I found it really peaceful, staring out at the rain and listening to it hitting the streets. I wouldn't have minded being outside to enjoy the rain, if not for the fact that I would get completely drenched.

Sure enough, my father texted me, asking where I was. He also asked me to send pictures to prove it. I rolled my eyes before sending him a selfie with my smoothie, the unique wall décor of the eatery in the background. I also sent him a picture of the view out onto the street and a third one of the crowded interior of the eatery. It looked like those pictures were enough to satisfy him, although I imagined he still didn't entirely trust me.

By the time I finished my food, the rain had finally stopped. The sun was now peeking through the sky, casting tiny slivers of light over the slick cobblestone streets. I took a sip of my smoothie as my phone buzzed with a text.

" _bruh have u seen my snapchat story?_ " Tanner texted. I rolled my eyes, almost wanting to ignore him. He was really obsessed with Snapchat and seemed to spend every second on it. I didn't use Snapchat much because I didn't see the thrill of it. However, that certainly didn't stop Tanner from inundating me with an endless flood of Snaps.

" _no why?_ " I texted back.

" _just watch it bruh u wont believe what happened!_ "

" _why cant u just tell me?_ "

" _cuz my snapchat story does a better job explaining_ " I sighed, seeing no easy way out of this. I clicked into Snapchat and clicked into Stories. I clicked on Tanner's latest story and it started playing.

" _so bored_ " The first Snap was a selfie of Tanner, looking glumly at the camera.

" _all these ppl going on about politics #DailyBriefings_ " The screen changed to a picture of a meeting room with a Powerpoint slide projected on the wall.

" _shit what was that?_ " A video quickly loaded. I heard conversation in Korean, as well as a pronounced banging noise. The conversation suddenly ceased, as everyone turned their heads in the direction of the mysterious banging noise.

" _omg what the hell is going on?!_ " A video of all these Korean officials running around the meeting room in disorder played next.

" _better go find out_ " The next Snap was a video of a bunch of men running down a flight of stairs into a dark room. For a second, I had to applaud Tanner on his ability to Snap and run down stairs. He really was gifted at being able to use his phone while maneuvering in all sorts of different ways. That included texting while walking down stairs and crossing the street, things I never would have dared to do.

" _omg what the hell?!_ " A slightly blurry video popped up. Initially, the screen was dark, as two loud crashes sounded one right after the other. The lights suddenly flashed on, revealing a person, no, a girl, lying on the floor. She was curled into a ball, rocking back and forth amidst the shouting in Korean. My heart sank as I immediately recognized Grace's long, dirty blonde hair. What the hell was she doing in the South Korean embassy and how had she gotten in?

" _wait i know this girl ;o;_ " The screen switched to a clearer picture of Grace lying on the floor. Her clothes were soaking wet, sticking to her damp skin. Her hair was damp and matted, hanging in limp, wet strands. Nonetheless, she still looked astonishingly beautiful to me. I couldn't quite comprehend why I would think that but I suspected it had a lot to do with my feelings for her.

" _how the hell did she get in?_ " The next Snap was a picture of Grace getting hauled off by less-than-thrilled Korean guards. I almost felt bad for her but then remembered she had so recklessly wandered into the South Korean embassy. I thought back to how she had marched right into the Iranian embassy without second thought. Illegally wandering into an embassy once was bad but excusable, twice was worse and almost unforgivable. Was she trying to destroy the diplomatic relationships her grandfather had undoubtedly spent years trying to foster? If so, she was off to an excellent start. Again, I couldn't help but curse her reckless behaviour. I really hoped Jamie wouldn't find out about this, otherwise, I'd been in even more trouble.

" _a trap door?_ " The screen switched to a slightly blurry shot of the floor. Despite the low quality of the picture, I was still able to make out what looked like a trap door. My heart sank as I realized what must have happened.

" _is this what i think it is…?_ " The next Snap was a close-up shot of the trap door. I could clearly see its unmistakable outline in the carpet. Tanner's Snapchat story ended there, bringing up my stories again. I simply looked down at my phone in disbelief, thinking about what I had just seen. Not a moment too soon, my phone buzzed with a text.

" _u guys seen my snapchat story?_ " Tanner texted in our group chat.

" _of course man. What the hell was that?_ " Jordan texted.

" _if this is what I think it is… how does grace know about the tunnels?_ " I texted, addressing what was obviously on our minds.

" _how can u be sure it was the tunnels tho?_ " Jordan asked.

" _how else could she have gotten into the basement of the Korean embassy? She sure as hell didn't walk in through the main entrance or I wouldve seen her_ " Tanner noted.

" _and there is a tunnel entrance from the basement of every embassy_ " I added.

" _kk so lets say grace knows about the tunnels. How the hell would she have known where the entrances were?_ " Jordan questioned.

" _maybe she just found a random ladder and climbed. Seems legit 2 me_ " Tanner replied. I had to agree with Tanner. That seemed like a very Grace thing to do, given her impulsive tendencies.

" _then how did she find out about the tunnels?_ " I texted, taking us back to the most important question. We had a somewhat reasonable explanation for how Grace got into the South Korean embassy but not how she got into the tunnels in the first place.

" _u ever told her bro?_ " Jordan asked.

" _no havent had a chance 2 talk 2 her since the ball remember?_ " I replied.

" _true. U think someone else would have told her?_ " Tanner texted.

" _like who?_ " Jordan inquired. I had my suspicions but kept them to myself.

" _u think shes smart enough 2 find the tunnels on her own?_ " Tanner added.

" _I wouldnt put that past her_ " I replied. Knowing Grace, it was highly likely she would have accidentally fallen right through a tunnel entrance and wound up in the depths of the tunnels. However, the tunnel entrances were, more or less, all on quiet, hidden streets. I wondered what she was doing on sketchy side streets in the first place.

" _well if shes spent all this time exploring the tunnels that definitely explains why shes never there when u ask 4 her_ _:P_ " Jordan texted.

" _now that she knows about the tunnels u can finally have secret meetings with her ;)_ " Tanner texted. It was obvious that the text was aimed at me.

" _haha not a chance bro_ " I replied. However, I couldn't stop thinking about what could happened if Grace actually knew about the tunnels. Maybe I would be able to meet with her in private and get a chance to really talk to her. Maybe I could finally find out what had really been happening with her, the night of the ball. Unfortunately, all sorts of dangerous people knew about the tunnels. Like Dominic and Ms. Chancellor. There was also a good chance my father knew about the tunnels and the last thing I wanted was for my father to find me in the tunnels with Grace. I couldn't think of a way to possibly explain myself out of that situation.

Besides, there were all sorts of dangerous secrets about Adria hidden down in those tunnels. I couldn't imagine what could possibly happen if Grace stumbled upon those secrets and accidentally leaked them to the whole of Valancia. Chaos would certainly ensue, given the way trouble seemed to follow her around.

I wasn't quite sure how to keep her safe, now that she knew about the tunnels. I didn't even know how I would approach that topic with her, if I ever got the chance to ask her about it. I couldn't believe she had been careless enough to wander into a random embassy again. Hadn't she already done enough careless things?

All I knew was that I had to try harder to keep her safe and out of harm's way. Which meant going against my father's orders again. As I walked out of the Japanese eatery and started heading back to the Russian embassy, I realized it was only going to get harder to please everyone and keep everyone safe. Since when did my life have to get so complicated?

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Nov. 11 and Nov. 18.**

 **How did you find the Snapchat story format for explaining what happened? If you liked that, there will be more Snapchat stories throughout the Embassy Row series in Alexei's POV. For all you Alace / Gralexei shippers (whichever ship name you prefer), Grace will finally be making an appearance next chapter!**


	16. Chapter 16 - Okay? Okay

**Here's the next chapter! I hate to make you wait so long between chapters but school is literally insane, especially with two weeks of classes left and then finals. It's times like these when I wonder why I decided to major in chemistry and take four heavy-duty chemistry courses at the same time. But I like chemistry so it works out fine in the end!**

 **Anyways, this chapter is a bit shorter than the other chapters I've posted but as I said earlier, Grace finally makes an appearance!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Sixteen: Okay? Okay.

I headed for downtown Valancia, copies of my CV in my hand. After much pressure from my father, I finally caved and decided to start hunting for summer jobs. It would be nice to do something productive with my summer. I also hoped that by getting a job, my father would stop caring as much about my whereabouts. That would definitely make going out a lot easier.

I stopped by a grocery store first. The owner was pleasant and polite, saying he'd look over my CV and call me within the week if I seemed like a good candidate. My next stop was at a nursing home. I spoke to the volunteer coordinator, who seemed very eager to take me on as a volunteer. I politely responded, telling her I'd take an application form and think about volunteering, especially since I was preferentially looking for a job. After, I stopped at a fancy restaurant that was looking for a dishwasher. It wasn't the most glamourous position but it paid somewhat decently, a couple dollars above minimum wage. However, the owner of the restaurant was quite rude. He quickly flipped through my CV, barely glancing at it. Based on the way he talked down to me, he seemed to think I was just another kid who would do anything for money. That wasn't entirely true. Yes, the money was always nice. However, I also wanted the experience that would come with a job, figuring that would be more valuable than any amount of money.

Lastly, I made my way to the research lab at the local hospital. They had recently put out an ad, looking to hire five university students and two high school students as summer research assistants. This job really interested me because I wanted to get involved in research. I always found it really fascinating, being able to solve problems and discover new things, with real world applications. And now, this job was my chance to get in on the action, even though I'd only have a minor role.

I took a deep breath as I walked into the research lab, heading straight for the main reception desk. I heard that this job was really competitive and only hired the brightest, most competent students. I really hoped I qualified because this was practically a dream job for me. My father would beg to differ, given that he often scoffed at scientific research, but I was hoping he'd reconsider if I actually got the job. It was a pretty prestigious position, especially for a high school student, since it involved working in a lot of advanced biological fields and performing some pretty complex laboratory tasks. Hopefully, the prestige and honour of the job would be enough to make my father proud of me, for once.

"Hi, what can I help you with?" the receptionist asked, turning to face me. She had been speaking with an older gentleman, who stood next to her.

"I'd like to inquire about the summer research assistant job. Are you still taking applications?" I asked, hoping I didn't sound too nervous. I wanted to portray a confident image, to show that I was worthy of the job.

"Yes, we're still taking applications for a few more days, before we take a look at the CV's and call potential candidates back for an interview." I let out a sigh of relief. I hadn't arrived too late after all.

"I have my CV and my application right here," I said, handing them to her. "I am interested in this position."

"Excellent, thank you for your interest," the receptionist said, quickly looking through my CV to make sure it had all the necessary components. She put it down on the top of a stack of papers, no doubt CV's from other potential candidates. "We'll let you know next week if you get an interview."

"Perfect, thank you very much," I replied. I noticed the older gentleman, who had been standing there quietly throughout the whole exchange, picking up my CV. He slowly flipped through it, taking the time to read it.

"Impressive, honour roll standing every year, ranked first in the class for the past two years, _and_ top of the class in mathematics, biology, chemistry, and physics for the past three years," he said. He gave me an impressed look, clearly surprised by my academic achievements.

"I take my studies seriously and devote lots of time to them, sir," I replied. He nodded in approval.

"That will certainly come in handy as a research assistant. Would you consider yourself a natural problem solver?"

"I'd like to think so." Considering all the times I'd had to resolve conflicts between the embassy kids before they turned into all-out international incidents, I had gotten pretty good at solving problems and thinking on my feet.

"Based on what I've heard about you, Alexei, your critical thinking skills seem to be very well developed." I was momentarily stunned, wondering where he heard that from. Surely not from my father or any of the other staff at the Russian embassy. He noticed my stunned look and smiled sheepishly. "I do apologize for not introducing myself earlier. John White, laboratory coordinator here at the research labs in the Valancia General Hospital. I'm in charge of overseeing everything that goes on here in the labs. I'm also coordinating the search for summer research assistants and will be one of the staff members interviewing potential candidates."

"Pleasure to meet you, sir." I awkwardly reached over the reception desk to shake his hand.

"Anyways, I believe you are acquainted with Randall Rutherford?"

It took me a second to place the name. "Yes, he's my chemistry teacher."

"You see, Rand and I go way back. College friends. We met in the chemistry program at Cambridge University. We parted ways after getting our degrees, him to education and me to research. It's a wonder we both ended up in Adria," Mr. White reminisced. "We go out for drinks a lot, where he likes to indulge about his students." I gulped, hoping that nothing bad had been said about me.

"Don't worry, Alexei. Rand had a lot to say about you, but it was all good," Mr. White continued, a bit of a twinkle in his eye. "He constantly praised you and called you his star student. He admired your hard work ethic and your ability to think things through logically. Those skills will certainly benefit you if you're hired. I have no doubts that you'd make an excellent research assistant here at the lab." I couldn't quite believe what I was hearing. Was he already considering offering me the job? That would honestly be a dream come true. I suddenly had a brief vision of myself, working in the lab, surrounded by various chemicals and fancy equipment. However, I quickly chastised myself, for getting ahead of myself. After all, there were still a few days left for applications to be turned in, for better, more qualified applicants to come forward.

"Thank you, sir," I replied, expressing my gratitude for all the good things he had said about me.

"No need to thank me, thank Rand for saying all those nice things about you. After all, it is a well-proven fact that networking and connections often lead to success." He quickly winked at me before turning serious again. "As mentioned previously, you will be getting a call next week if you are a potential candidate."

"Thank you, sir," I said again, seriously feeling so grateful for what had just happened. "Have a nice day." The receptionist nodded at me while Mr. White gave me a friendly smile. I walked out of the research lab, feeling like I was on cloud nine. Suddenly, getting this research assistant job seemed very possible, especially with Mr. White's apparent liking towards me. Hopefully, getting this job would land me in my father's good graces, especially after all the drama that had happened lately.

The sun was high overhead as I walked down the street. I headed in the direction of the palace, which would circle back to Embassy Row. I wanted to head home and grab some lunch before a good workout later this afternoon. Mikhail had agreed to spar with me today and I was looking forward to it.

As I got closer to the palace, heading up the steep sidewalks, I saw a lone figure standing on the sidewalk. My heart skipped a beat as I realized it was Grace. And for once, she was alone. This was finally my chance to talk to her, to find out why she was never in the American embassy and ask about yesterday's tunnel incident. I desperately wanted to know how she knew about the tunnels and this looked like the perfect time to ask her about it. I slowly walked towards her. Her back was towards me, seemingly not aware of my presence. I was about to call her name, when she suddenly spun around on the sidewalk.

"What do you want, Alexei?" she asked. Her reaction was not what I expected. I thought she'd be happy to see me, especially since we hadn't spoken since the night of the ball. However, as I stared up at her, squinting against the glare of the blinding sunlight, I realized she looked annoyed. It was almost like she didn't want to talk to me, to say the least.

She glared down at me, doing a pretty good job of looking intimidating. For once, she towered over me, although it was just the steeply inclined sidewalks giving her an unfair advantage. As I continued staring up at her, I could see the hurt and pain in her eyes, even though the rest of her looked irritated.

"Are you okay?" I asked, skipping the small talk. I wanted to know what was bothering her so much. Besides, Grace didn't seem like the type for small talk.

"I was fine until about thirty seconds ago," Grace said pointedly. Damn it, it seemed like I had pissed her off. Did my presence really bother her that much? I just wanted to see how she was doing. Was that too much to ask?

"I heard about…" I started, before trailing off. I wanted to bring up yesterday's tunnel incident but realized that was probably the last thing she wanted to talk about. It must have been really embarrassing for her, to say the least. Besides, she probably didn't want to talk about her trouble-making reputation again. I felt like I had lectured her enough about that.

"Are you okay, Grace?" I asked again, desperate to get through the walls she had built around herself. Besides, if the way she had been rocking on the floor of the South Korean embassy, oblivious to the drama she had caused, was any indication, then she definitely wasn't okay.

"Yes! I'm fine. Do you hear me? I'm okay. Perfectly normal. Absolutely average. How do you say _hunky-dory_ in Russian?" I couldn't believe she wasn't taking me seriously. Couldn't she see that I was genuinely concerned for her well-being, especially after the incident in the South Korean embassy yesterday?

"This isn't a joke." She obviously wasn't okay if she was acting like she was fine. I was trying to show her that I cared about her but clearly, she didn't want to let me in, if the way she shut me down was any indication.

She stepped closer to me, until I could feel her chest against mine. I tried my hardest not to react to that slight contact. She stared right into my eyes and I couldn't help but admire those beautiful brown eyes of hers. A beautiful, rich, light chocolate brown that I could get lost in forever.

"Do I look like I'm laughing?" she asked.

"You break into one embassy, and then you show up in the basement of another? If you're trying to start a war, you're doing a good job." I didn't want to be so harsh with her but I had to make her realize the gravity of the things she had done.

"I got lost, Alexei. I was out in the rain and I fell into one of the tunnels. It was an _accident_." Something sounded wrong about the way she said that, almost like she was forcing a lie. "It was an accident, Alexei. I'm fine." I didn't even think it was possible to accidentally fall into the tunnels but decided not to question her logic. Besides, something told me her falling into the tunnels was no accident.

"Are you? Are you really?" I scrutinized her, wondering what was going on inside her head. If she was telling the truth about how she got into the tunnels. If she was staying out of trouble, like she was supposed to. If she was really, truly okay. I inched closer, hoping I could break past her barriers. I sharply inhaled, struck by her haunted beauty. I stared down at her beautiful, innocent face, juxtaposed with haunted, sad eyes that had seen too much. I felt her chest against mine as we breathed, slowly inhaling and exhaling. It made me aware of how close we were and how little effort it'd take to close the distance between our hands, or our lips.

"If you need me –" I started, reaching for her hand. Her hand was warm in mine, making me wish I could hold the rest of her in my arms, like the night of the ball, when I had carried her back to the American embassy.

"I don't," she firmly interrupted me.

"But if you do –" I tried again.

"I don't need you, Alexei. Okay?" She sounded really pissed off, more than before, and I wondered what I had said or done to annoy her more. She suddenly jerked her hand away and retreated higher up the sidewalk, away from me. So much for trying to show her I cared.

"Now you can go call Jamie and tell him that I'm fine. That you have done your duty and you can be released from your obligation or whatever blood oath the two of you have sworn. I'm fine. Do you hear me?" I almost laughed because she made it sound like Jamie and I had made a deal with the devil. Given how things were going now, it almost did feel like I had signed my life away and was now paying the price for it. However, I only shook my head. She didn't understand; she couldn't see that I wasn't doing this just for Jamie.

"You think I care because you're Jamie's sister? Maybe I care about you, Gracie. Maybe I'm worried about _you_." I really was worried about her, worried about those demons in her head overtaking her, worried about the pain she was trying to hide, yet was so evident in her eyes. And even if I wasn't ready to admit it to myself just yet, maybe some subconscious part of me really did care deeply about her.

"If I wanted to start a war, we'd be in one by now," Grace said, forcing a laugh.

"That's true," I replied, with a small smile. If there was anything Grace was good at, it was starting trouble and getting into fights with others. She had nearly started a war with Lila, that night at the cliff-top party, and could probably do the same with me. Hell, she probably had been ready to start a fight with me today. I almost wondered why she didn't.

"I'm okay," Grace said again. I wondered if it was for her own benefit, just as much as mine. However, I still saw right through her hollow words.

"You're not okay, Grace. But I want you to be." I knew she wasn't okay, if the pain in her eyes was anything to go by. And I knew I'd do anything in my power to take away that pain and make her happy again. I wanted her to trust me, but she obviously wasn't going to let that happen. I wondered what it would take for her to open up to me and let me inside those stone walls she had built around herself.

I gave her one last, longing glance as I turned around, to head back to the Russian embassy. That conversation definitely didn't go as expected. I had been hoping to get answers, maybe even lecture her, but all I got was a clearer sign that something was deeply troubling her. I didn't know what it was, or how I could help her, but I had a sneaking suspicion it had to do with the man she had supposedly seen the night of the ball.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Nov. 24 and Dec. 2.**

 **Get ready for some Tanner and Jordan banter next chapter! Also, any guesses as to which character's back story (that I made up) will be in the next chapter?**


	17. Chapter 17 - Love is Love

**I really need to stop making my chapters longer during editing. After all, the whole point of editing is to trim down your chapters, not make them longer, right? I thought this would be the easiest chapter to edit for the entirety of Falling for You but unsurprisingly, I wanted to change and add a bunch of things. So due to my inability to write concise chapters, here's another long chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Seventeen: Love is Love

"No, no, no!" Tanner screamed at the TV, as he furiously pressed buttons on his controller. However, his character, Toad, only fell further down the cliff. Tanner swore in Korean as Toad fell off the edge and died.

"Damn it, bro, we're not letting you win again this time," Jordan said, his face contorted in concentration. Tanner and Jordan were both over at the Russian embassy for gaming night. We were playing Mario Kart and so far, I was winning big-time. I had beat Tanner and Jordan at every race so far, with no intentions of going easy on them.

"Try me," I said, with a huge grin as my character, Mario, slid across the finish line, taking first place once again.

"Damn it, why are you so good at Mario Kart?" Jordan exclaimed, slamming his controller down on the floor in frustration. Tanner, who was sitting on the floor by the foot of my bed, winced as the controller narrowly missed him. "I swore I almost had you there."

"It's a good thing I had that green shell," I said, with a smirk, "And a well-aimed shot at you."

"And once again, Yoshi meets his demise at the hands of a green shell," Jordan said, with a sigh. "Damn, I need a smoke, thanks to all the suffering you put me through."

"Take it to the window," I said, nodding towards the window. I paused the game, to let Jordan have his smoke break. He hopped off the bed, where he had been sitting next to me, and strode over to the window. I heard him cranking it all the way open before lighting his cigarette.

"Bro, are you ever going to tell us how you got so good at Mario Kart?" Tanner asked, looking up at me.

"Yes, please do. That way, we might stand a chance at beating you, for once," Jordan piped up.

"Nope. After all, a master never gives away his secrets to success," I said cryptically. The only reason I was so good at Mario Kart was because Jamie and I used to spend hours playing it. He always used to beat me and after he left each summer, I would practice a lot on my own, so that I could try to beat him next summer.

"Since when were you a Mario Kart master?" Jordan snorted.

"Since I beat you and Tanner at every race," I replied.

"Yo, we should do Rainbow Road next," Tanner called, from the floor.

"Oh God, no," Jordan replied. "I will literally come in last place, not gonna lie. Though I would like to see how Alexei fares on that one."

"Oh please, I'll easily get first place again," I boasted, " _And_ without falling off the track once." Rainbow Road was a notorious racetrack in every Mario Kart game, full of loops, twists, and turns. Most of all, there were hardly any guard rails on the track, making it very easy to fall off and die. What Tanner and Jordan didn't know was that I always used to spend hours racing on Rainbow Road, until I could successfully race the track without falling off.

"I'd really like to see you try because something tells me you're going down," Jordan said competitively. I just gave him my best game face, with a fierce nod. If anything, he and Tanner were the ones who would be going down.

Jordan suddenly started coughing uncontrollably.

"You alright?" I asked, giving him a concerned look.

"I'm fine," Jordan managed to get out between coughs. However, he kept looking from me to something outside the window.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"Bruh, you are not going to like what's happening out there," Jordan replied, with another cough, as he focused his attention on something outside. He almost dropped his lit cigarette out the window but quickly caught it. I raised an eyebrow in surprise. It usually took a lot to freak Jordan out.

"Flash mob protesting the palace's corrupt rule?" Tanner quipped, his interest now piqued.

"Come see for yourself," Jordan replied. I hopped off the bed and headed over to the window. Tanner stood up from the floor and also made his way to the window.

"Look over by the US embassy gates," Jordan directed. I cast my eyes in that direction and was almost stunned by what I had seen. Grace, standing by the gates of the American embassy. She was half visible in the darkness, her face lit up in profile by the moonlight. She looked so beautiful, but that was when I realized she wasn't alone. Standing next to her, with his face also lit up in profile, was Noah.

"Damn, what's she doing out with him?" Tanner asked, craning his neck to get a view.

"Beats me," Jordan said, with a shrug. "For Alexei's sake, I really hope it's not an illicit relationship." I watched Grace and Noah talk, seeing Noah's smirk turn into an extremely cocky grin. He said something that made Grace smile, causing her entire face to light up. For a second, I was envious of his ability to make her smile when all she did was yell at me.

"Ooh, someone's pissed," Tanner taunted.

"Because he's not the one getting some tonight," Jordan continued.

"Oh, shut up, you guys," I muttered. Noah and Grace seemed more than a little friendly to me and Tanner and Jordan's banter wasn't helping. I watched as Noah walked away, leaving Grace to walk back into the American embassy.

"Someone's just jealous because he didn't get the girl tonight," Jordan said, with a shrug. "Hey, natural selection, right?"

"Shut up," I growled, trying to resist the urge to punch both of them.

"I didn't know you had a possessive side but damn, it looks good on you," Tanner commented. A switch suddenly went off inside my mind, clouding my thoughts with rage. Suddenly, throwing the controller seemed like a very good idea.

"Do you want to die?" I snarled, picking up a controller and aiming it at him.

"Oh God, no. I'm sorry, man, I didn't mean it, it was just a joke," Tanner said, holding up his hands in surrender.

"You better be," I growled. A knock on my bedroom door, followed by someone slowly pushing the door open, broke me out of my thoughts. I lowered the controller and turned towards the door.

"Lyosha, I really hope you weren't threatening to beat up Tanner and Jordan with a Wii controller," Mikhail said, the slightest hint of a smile on his face. He stepped into my bedroom, closing the door behind him. Seeing the adult in the room, Jordan quickly panicked, stubbing his cigarette out against the window sill and chucking the butt out the window.

"They started it," I replied, signalling out Tanner and Jordan. They both looked down guiltily.

"Hey, it's not my fault Alexei gets jealous whenever he sees Grace with another guy," Tanner said, quickly recovering. I gave him a dirty look, silently cursing him for mentioning that.

"Oh?" Mikhail said, sounding interested.

"I'm not into her," I quickly countered.

"I beg to differ," Jordan said. Tanner nodded in agreement.

"Will you guys quit it already?" I begged, exasperated. I didn't realize that having a crush on someone meant that I'd get teased about it to no end. Maybe I should have denied liking Grace from the start.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of if you're into someone. Guy or girl," Mikhail said comfortingly.

"Great, question my sexual orientation while you're at it too," I muttered. For all intents and purposes, I was heterosexual and wasn't going to start questioning my sexual orientation, or experimenting, any time soon.

"I'm serious," Mikhail continued. "If you like someone and want to start dating, then go ahead. I have nothing against it. You have my blessing. I had nothing against your relationship with Lila and I wouldn't have any issues with you being interested in someone new." Dating was an issue that I had never talked about much. My father had certainly never brought up the topic with me and I wasn't exactly going to saunter into his office, asking if we could have the dating conversation. Mikhail brought it up on occasion, but we hadn't really talked in depth about it.

"Nice to know there's one person who isn't cock-blocking you, among the hundreds of others who are," Jordan commented.

"Tell me about it," I muttered. Even though I did not want a sexual relationship with Grace, there were still many people who would be very opposed to the idea of us dating. I blamed Adria and its heavy emphasis on diplomatic relations for preventing me from having a relationship with Grace.

"So you like a girl. Big deal. It's not a crime," Mikhail stated.

"Yeah, except Alexei likes _Grace_ , the American chick," Tanner clarified. I glared at him for saying it so bluntly.

"So what?" Mikhail asked.

"Alexei's Russian, in case you haven't already noticed," Jordan pointed out, with heavy sarcasm.

"And I believe our respective embassies would not like the idea of Grace and I in a relationship," I finished. Mikhail nodded, sensing what we were getting at.

"I see. I can imagine that your father, as well as the American ambassador, would have a lot to say if you and Grace ever got together," Mikhail started. "But personally, I don't have any issues with it."

"You don't?" I asked, mildly surprised.

"Why would I?" Mikhail replied, shrugging. "I believe that love is love, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, gender, whatever. As long as you're happy, then that's what really matters." I hadn't realized Mikhail had such liberal views on love but it was kind of refreshing. A lot of ambassadors and executive embassy staff, my father included, held quite conservative views. It was a bit annoying at times, having to listen to centuries-old beliefs in such a modern society.

"Wow, you're the first older person I've ever heard say that love is love," Jordan said, looking stunned. "No offense, by the way."

"None taken," Mikhail replied. "Although I believed my experiences may have shaped the way I view the world."

"Like what?" Tanner asked.

"Well, politics, for one," Mikhail replied, with a bit of a laugh. "Also equality, and well, love."

"Love?" I repeated, not sure that I was hearing him right.

"You heard me, Lyosha," Mikhail continued. "I'm sure you've heard my life story many times. Especially the part about the girl I was in love with."

"You mean how she passed away and you ended up in the Russian Special Forces?" I asked. Mikhail nodded, gesturing for us to sit down. He sat down on my bed. I settled down next to him and Jordan sat down at my desk chair. Tanner took up his previous position on the floor. It looked like we were going to be in for one long story.

"That's the part that everyone knows," Mikhail started. "The love of my life did pass away due to the political dissent in the USSR at the end of the Cold War. But there's more to the story than just that. Very few people know the full truth." I sucked in a breath, waiting for Mikhail to continue.

"You see, the love of my life was killed by the Russian Special Forces during the Moscow Coup in August 1991," Mikhail said, looking very pained.

"I thought only three men were killed during the Moscow Coup?" I asked, slightly confused. Based on what I knew about Russian history, the Moscow Coup wasn't very successful but luckily, there weren't many casualties.

"Her death wasn't recorded though," Mikhail said.

"Why?" Tanner asked. Mikhail hesitated before speaking, looking down at his hands the whole time.

"Because she was American," Mikhail said quietly. I couldn't help but stare at him in shock. Mikhail had been in love with an American girl?

"Technically, she was only half-American; yet, that was still enough to make her a target," Mikhail continued. "Her father was an American professor of Russian studies. He moved to Moscow, for a long-term research project, in the mid '60's. That was where he met her mother, who was Russian born and raised." He pulled a small photo out of his wallet and showed it to us. It was a picture of a young couple, looking very much in love, standing by a fountain in Alexander Garden in Moscow. The girl was very beautiful, with long, dark hair and striking features. With light blonde hair and blue eyes, the boy was a stark contrast to the girl. I almost immediately recognized the boy as Mikhail.

"Her name was Natalia," Mikhail said softly. "You wouldn't have been able to tell she was half-American at first glance. She looked very Russian and she grew up using her mother's Russian surname. However, her father encouraged her to pursue her dreams and speak her mind. In that way, she was much more American than Russian. She wasn't afraid to stand up for issues that she was passionate about and she studied hard, in the hopes of becoming a doctor. Many medical schools in Russia were reluctant to let her in, despite her stellar grades, because she was female. That never stopped her though. When she finally did get accepted into a medical school, it only pushed her to work harder, to show the world that she was, in fact, very capable of becoming a doctor. She was also very passionate about politics and world issues. She was never afraid to voice her opinion about what was happening within the USSR at the time. That was one of the things I loved about her, how she wasn't afraid to stand up for what she believed in.

"Fast forward to 1991. Natalia and I had been dating for a few years. We had gotten our own place together and only had a couple of years left before we finished school. Life was great. I was seriously thinking about asking her to marry me. Even though we were both still young, I knew there was no one else for me.

"Around that time, there was a lot of political unrest in the USSR. The people were unhappy with Mikhail Gorbachev, the president of the USSR at the time, and how he was running the country. There were so many protests going on at the time. Natalia was really interested in what was going on and always followed the news. She loved attending political demonstrations and protests, to ensure that her voice was heard. I always urged her not to go because I was so scared of her getting hurt. I could never stop her though; Natalia was always so independent and did what she wanted.

"August 1991. The month that everything changed. It was announced that Gorbachev had been placed under house arrest and that the State Committee of the State of Emergency, or the Gang of Eight as they were later known, would be taking over. Essentially, they had started a coup. The whole country was declared to be in a state of emergency. Like many other citizens, Natalia did not agree with the coup. She supported Boris Yeltsin, the first president of the Russian Federation, and his ideals of democracy. She wanted to go to the Parliament Building to voice her opinion and condemn the coup. I begged her not to go. I knew there would be a lot of people there, people who might not necessarily be thinking straight and could do some potentially dangerous things. I was worried about her getting caught in the crossfire. As usual, Natalia never listened to me. She assured me that she'd be fine. I finally let her go, although I was still worried about her.

"However, I quickly got the sense that something was wrong. A gut feeling told me she wasn't safe. It was late at night, which made things worse. I headed out to the Parliament Building, only to find it surrounded by the Russian Special Forces. I had never seen such a large crowd in my life. There were people everywhere, yelling their support for Yeltsin and condemning Gorbachev and the Gang of Eight. I fought my way through the crowd, trying to find Natalia. I wanted to take her home, somewhere she'd be safe.

"However, by the time I found her, she was already surrounded by three operatives. I remember running to her side, begging her to come home with me and forget about the protest. She wouldn't listen to me though. She kept on fighting the operatives and it somehow became revealed that she was half-American. Even though she only had Russian citizenship and strongly supported Yeltsin, the operatives thought she was an American spy working for the Gang of Eight. That was enough for one of the operatives to shoot her." Mikhail's voice caught, bringing us back to the present. We stayed silent, waiting for him to continue.

"That moment will always be burned into my memory. When I close my eyes sometimes, I can still hear the ringing of the gunshot that killed her. I remember her falling backwards as the bullet hit her square in the chest. I ran forward to catch her, her dying body falling into my arms just as I reached her. I held her in my arms during her last moments, telling her I loved her. I begged her to hold on and to not leave me so soon. It was fruitless though. With the way the bullet hit her and penetrated deep into her, there was no way that she could have survived.

"It was awful, having to carry her home and tell the news to her father, the only one who approved of our relationship. I felt so bad, being the one to tell him that his only child was dead. He was devastated, of course, and died soon after. I had no one left at that time. My parents had practically disowned me, for falling in love with Natalia. I didn't have any other family I could turn to. I very quickly lost my will to live. With no other options left, besides suicide, I dropped out of school and joined the army. At that point, I didn't care if I got hurt on active duty because nothing could compare to the pain of losing Natalia.

"Joining the army did help me find a new will to live. Its strict rules and methodical ways gave me something to focus on, other than the pain of losing Natalia. After a while, I found that I enjoyed being in the army. I quickly progressed through the ranks and eventually joined the Russian Special Forces. Looking back, it was ironic how I'd commit myself to the same organization that initially killed the life within me. Essentially, I had given myself up, physically, mentally, and emotionally, for the Russian Special Forces. That was all my life consisted of. I wasn't happy but I had a purpose of devoting my life to my country.

"When I was still in school, I was just a casual smoker. One or two cigarettes a day. That was all I needed. Natalia always used to get on my case about how smoking was bad for my health and always urged me to stop. I always told her I would be fine and that a few cigarettes weren't going to kill me. I can't imagine what she'd say about my smoking habits now if she were still alive. After she died, I started smoking more, at least a pack a day, to numb the pain. It helps but it can never fully erase what happened. Even now, I still get painful flashbacks, accompanied by pain that not even a few cigarettes can quell," Mikhail said. He looked like he was in so much agony right now. His hands were shaking and there were tears forming in his eyes. My heart broke when a stray tear escaped his eye and slowly started rolling down his cheek. I put my arms around him, in a bit of an awkward hug. Usually, I wasn't one to show affection through physical contact, like hugs, but Mikhail looked like he really could have used a hug right now.

"Shit, I'm so sorry to hear that," Jordan said. Tanner just nodded solemnly.

"I miss her so much," Mikhail whispered. "I'd give anything, even my own life, to be able to see her one last time, to hold her in my arms and tell her how much I love her." I continued holding Mikhail tighter, stroking his back comfortingly. He used to do the same thing for me when I was a child and needed comforting, especially after my mother disappeared. Now, it was my turn to be there for him, while he relived his worst memories. After holding him for a while, he stood up. I released my hold on him. Mikhail smiled, although it was a sad one. He gently placed a hand on my shoulder.

"After losing Natalia, I never thought I'd find happiness again in my life. But I have. You're the source of joy in my life, Alexei. Watching you grow up and being there for you, through all the good times and the bad, have been some of the happiest moments of my life. I've slowly been able to recover and be happy again because of you." He pulled me in for another hug. I had no idea that I made him so happy but I was glad that he had been able to find happiness through me. If there was anyone who deserved to be happy, it was Mikhail. When he released me from the hug, he took a good, hard look at me.

"Tanner and Jordan have been saying that you're in love with an American girl?" Mikhail asked, although it sounded more like a statement than a question.

"I wouldn't exactly say I'm in love with her but yes, I do like her," I replied, not bothering to lie.

"Go for it, Lyosha. Don't let anything, or anyone, hold you back. It doesn't matter if she's American or Russian. If you're in love with her, then take a chance. Get to know her. Find out if she feels the same about you. Learn all her secrets and earn her trust. And most importantly, don't stop your heart from finding true happiness. If you know she's the one for you and your heart practically sings out for her, then be with her. Don't let the American, or the Russian, embassy stop you. If it's one thing I learned in life, it's that you should never deny what your heart wants," Mikhail said, his earlier fragility gone. It was replaced by fierce determination as he looked right into my eyes, willing his message to get through to me. "Do you understand?"

"Yes," I breathed. I definitely had not been expecting such a fierce and powerful speech from Mikhail but after seeing the fire in his eyes, it made me want to grab onto life with everything I had and make the most out of it.

"Good," Mikhail said, with a curt nod. "Trust me, you won't regret it."

"Oh, I'm sure Alexei won't regret it when he realizes how good Grace is in bed," Tanner said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"Come on, man, really?" I sighed. He had literally killed the serious moment with a dirty joke.

"Life is too short to stand back in fear. You need to take some risks and savour every moment you've got," Mikhail said. In a weird way, it was almost like he was agreeing with Tanner. I wasn't sure if Mikhail would condone sex just yet but maybe he was onto something, about taking some risks in life.

"Exactly. Which is why you need to stop putting things off with Grace," Jordan said matter-of-factly.

"Fine, fine, whatever," I replied, hoping that would shut up both Tanner and Jordan.

"I seriously hope you'll take some of what I said to heart. I mean every word of it, Lyosha," Mikhail said.

"I will," I replied, unable to get Mikhail's words out of my mind.

"Good. I trust you'll use them to your advantage," Mikhail said. "By the way, I did originally stop by to say that the self-defence classes are in two days at 9 a.m. in the gym, if you'd like to join us."

"Sure," I replied. I had been thinking about those self-defence classes ever since Mikhail first mentioned them. They seemed like they'd be worth it, even if I had already learned a lot of self-defence techniques from my father.

"Tanner, Jordan, you're both also welcome to join the self-defence classes," Mikhail said, turning to face my friends.

"And get beat up by a bunch of crazy Russians? No thanks," Tanner replied, making a face.

"I'm with him," Jordan seconded. "Besides, I've got an eight-hour shift starting at 8 a.m. at Amelia's that day." He grimaced, a clear indication of just how much he was looking forward to that.

"Damn, that sucks, bro. Think I might have to stop by during your shift," I said.

"Please do. Any help is appreciated in getting through eight hours of hell," Jordan replied.

"Anyways, I'll let you boys get back to whatever you were doing," Mikhail said, his gaze flicking to the Wii controllers on the floor. "I'll see you later, Lyosha. Good night." I nodded at Mikhail as he walked out of my bedroom, closing the door behind him.

"You guys still down for Rainbow Road?" Tanner asked, picking up his controller and unpausing the game.

"I'm in," Jordan replied.

"Me too," I seconded. "And you're both going down."

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! I'm not an expert in Russian history (except for what I learned off Google) so my apologies if I got any historical facts wrong.**

 **Next chapter will be up between Dec. 19 and Dec. 24. I've got finals coming up so I won't be able to post earlier (my finals are on the 8** **th** **(although my prof gave us the option of writing that final on the 12** **th** **), the 11** **th** **, the 18** **th** **, and the 19** **th** **) because I'll be crazy busy with studying! So please bear with me for the long wait for the next chapter! Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait because it's a long chapter and it's the self-defence classes! What do you think will happen in the self-defence classes?**


	18. Chapter 18 - Russian Fight Club

**I'm back with another long chapter! Thank you for being patient with me. Finals were not fun, to say the least, but I'm glad they're done with. These next few chapters, as well as the previous chapter, are some of my favourite chapters that I've written and I can't wait to share them with you!**

 **Going to include a trigger warning (better safe than sorry) for somewhat detailed and potentially upsetting depictions of violence that I would consider physical abuse. It happens about three-quarters of the way through and it's the longest paragraph in this chapter so you can skip that part if you like. I'm not going to say what happens (because I don't want to spoil anything) but all I'm going to say is if you already dislike Alexei's father, you'll dislike him even more after this chapter…**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Eighteen: Russian Fight Club

Two days later, I walked into the gym at the embassy. Its usually quiet environment was permeated by the sound of excited chatter, in anticipation of today's self-defence classes. The gym was packed, as I noted that almost every male staff member was down here. I quickly found Mikhail. He smiled at me and waved me over.

"Lyosha, glad you could make it!" Mikhail called out, in a friendly tone. I smiled as I walked over to him.

"Thanks for letting me know about these classes," I replied.

"No problem. I'm glad you're taking advantage of them," Mikhail said, with a smile. We were soon called to order. Everyone quieted down as we gathered around three self-defence instructors. I wasn't surprised to find my father standing with them. To be honest, he was probably more qualified to teach these classes than the self-defence instructors, given the high level of training he achieved in the Russian Special Forces.

"Hi everyone, we're glad to be here today!" the middle instructor said enthusiastically. He appeared to be the leader of the group, with a stocky build and close-cut brown hair. "My name is Anthony and along with Marcus and William, we will be teaching you self defence today!" Marcus had blonde hair and was tall and lean whereas William was a short, muscular Oriental man, with long, black hair tied back in a ponytail. Together, the three of them were quite an interesting contrast.

"Of course, we wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Sergei Volkov, the fine gentleman who organizes these self-defence classes each year!" Anthony exclaimed. My father was given a round of applause, which he accepted gratefully, and a little too humbly in my opinion. I wouldn't be surprised if my father was gloating inside, his ego just having been boosted by tenfold. Nonetheless, I clapped on politely, while my father shook hands with each of the self defence instructors.

We quickly started into a group warm-up, with lots of high energy cardio moves. Personally, I didn't find it particularly taxing and didn't work up much of a sweat. Everyone else seemed to get through the group warm-up just fine, although some of the older staff members were already slightly out of breath.

Next, Anthony explained some of the best offensive moves to use if attacked. Marcus and William demonstrated each of these maneuvers while the rest of us paid attention. I had already learned most of this from my father but the refresher was always nice. After a thorough explanation of each maneuver, Anthony let us pair up to practice. Naturally, I paired up with Mikhail. We practiced each offensive attack on the other, using light, gentle hits to avoid injury.

As we practiced, the three self-defence instructors circulated the gym, correcting movements that weren't quite right. When Anthony came over to Mikhail and I, he stopped, observing us for a few moments. I glanced at him, seeing him nodding in approval. He smiled when he noticed I was aware of his presence.

"You both have excellent form and technique," Anthony complimented. He then regarded me curiously. "I've been teaching these self-defence classes at the embassy, ever since Sergei has been organizing them. I don't think I've seen you at one of these classes before. Are you a new staff member around here?" I was taken aback at Anthony's words. Many adults, such as ambassadors and teachers, always told me that I looked and acted mature for my age. However, I didn't think I looked old enough to be a staff member here, even one who was fresh out of university at that.

I realized that Anthony was looking at me expectantly, clearly waiting for an answer. I quickly cleared my throat and attempted to answer him.

"I … I, um," I started, still completely flabbergasted by Anthony's words. I probably looked like a complete idiot right now and mentally kicked myself for it. It took a lot to catch me by surprise, to the point where I was at a loss for words.

"This is Sergei's son," Mikhail said, quickly stepping in for me. "I invited him to the self-defence classes today." Anthony looked at me with surprise.

"I didn't know Sergei had a son. He may have mentioned it once or twice but I was never really sure," Anthony said.

"I'm Alexei. Pleasure to meet you," I said, finally recovering from my bout of stupidity. Anthony shook my hand, looking at me with a newfound respect.

"Same to you. Now I definitely see where your excellent fighting skills come from. It looks like your father taught you well," Anthony said, with a smile.

"Yes, he did." Oh, he had no idea. More like I was mercilessly beaten until I finally learned.

"Well, Alexei, it's nice to have you join us today. I can't wait to see what you're capable of." I nodded in response. Anthony soon headed off, to make sure everyone else had learned the maneuvers just fine. Mikhail and I resumed practicing although we both had the maneuvers down pretty well.

Soon, Anthony had us regroup. We all gathered around as he explained some common attack holds and how to defend and attack back against them. I watched as Marcus and William demonstrated these, again taking note of them in my head. I had never really learned defensive maneuvers from my father. He had always focused more on how to attack, instead of how to defend and protect myself. I kind of wished that my father had taught me more defensive maneuvers, so I would be able to defend myself just as well as I could attack others.

After a thorough explanation, Anthony let us pair up to practice the defensive maneuvers. Again, I paired up with Mikhail. I was a bit awkward at first, not quite sure if I was moving in the correct way. Luckily, Mikhail gave me some pointers and Marcus stopped by to help me correct some of my awkward movements. After that, it didn't take me long to more or less learn the defensive maneuvers. Hopefully, I'd be able to use some of them the next time I sparred with Mikhail or my father.

I noticed that my father and the ambassador were paired up together. They were talking quite animatedly and having a good laugh while practicing their defensive maneuvers. My father seemed to know the defensive maneuvers quite well, as he moved through them with ease. I seriously wondered why my father had never taught me them. I bet he wanted to leave me defenseless, so he could enjoy seeing me in pain during sparring.

Anthony called us back to order, after a fair amount of practice time. We all clustered together again, to await further instructions. With the help of my father, Anthony split everyone into three groups. I got placed into a group with Mikhail, my father, and the ambassador, among others. Anthony directed my group towards the fight training area while Marcus and William took the other two groups towards the part of the gym dedicated to floor work. I quickly understood what was going on when I saw Marcus and William teaching the other two groups how to throw punches and kicks. They were learning how to fight properly. I realized that the groups had been split up based on fighting abilities. I quickly looked around at the other members of my group and noted that everyone was a really good fighter.

A pit of dread started building up in my stomach as my father took over for Anthony in leading our small group. He told us to have a quick break, so we could have some water and start wrapping our hands. The pit of dread only started getting bigger as I realized that I might have to fight some of the other staff members. I made sure to wrap my hands really well, to hopefully prevent any injuries. Even with the hand wraps, there was still a chance I could injure my hands, especially if I fought too hard or moved my hands in the wrong way.

My father instructed us to head over to the punching bags. I suddenly got a weird sense of déjà vu, causing the pit in my stomach to get even bigger. This reminded me of the day when my father told me to keep going for as long as I could on the punching bag. I really hoped that I wouldn't be going through a repeat of that day.

"Your first task should be relatively simple," my father stated. "Go as hard as you can on the punching bag, using any moves you please, for two minutes. Then, you can rest for one minute. You will do that four more times, for a total of five sets." I nodded, feeling a bit of relief. It seemed like a simpler version of hitting the punching bag for ten minutes straight, which was what my father wanted me to do.

"I trust that you will all be able to complete this without too much difficulty," my father said slowly. He looked right at me as he said that, like he was waiting to see if I'd fail his test. I swallowed a lump of dread that had built up in my throat. I would not let my father down, no matter what. I would show him that I could complete this punching bag exercise just fine. I had been practicing a lot on the punching bag recently, ever since that day in the gym. However, I probably hadn't been going as hard as I should have. I just hoped it would be enough to get me through this task.

After pulling on a pair of boxing gloves, I chose a punching bag in the middle of the row, in between Mikhail and Anthony. My father was on Anthony's other side, close enough so that would still have a clear view of me. I tried not to look at my father, as I knew he would be scrutinizing me. Instead, I tried to focus on calming myself down, hoping that would help the pit of dread go away.

"Starting in five, four, three, two, one!" my father shouted, counting down from the nearest clock on the wall. I quickly started hitting my punching bag. I tried to keep a quick pace, but not so fast that I'd tire out immediately. Before I knew it, the two minutes were up and my father counted down the one minute of rest. Soon, we started on the second round. I managed to keep up pretty well but started feeling a bit worn out after the third round. I noticed that some of the men were faring better than others. Some of them looked like they were going to collapse soon whereas others, primarily Mikhail and my father, looked like they had barely broken a sweat.

Nonetheless, I forced myself to get through the last two rounds, trying to push myself to go just a little bit faster. I finally managed to make it to the end of the fifth round. I felt ready to collapse on the floor but forced myself to remain standing. Some of the other men were sitting down or lying on the floor, which was looking more comfortable each second.

"Good job," Mikhail said, turning to face me. He wasn't showing the slightest sign of exhaustion, making me wonder just how much he had trained on the punching bag. I wondered how long he could go without stopping.

"Thanks. Your training advice really helped," I replied. Without Mikhail's help, I probably wouldn't have been able to improve as much as I had.

"It was all you," Mikhail said, with a small smile. "I just gave you a few pointers. You put in all the effort to train and improve." I nodded, removing my boxing gloves as my father called us back to order. Our small group gathered around him as we awaited further instructions.

"Congratulations on completing that task. I realize it may have been more difficult for some of you but everyone did an excellent job of keeping up," my father said. His eyes swept over everyone in our small group, although I swore his gaze lasted on me for a fraction of a second longer.

"Since everyone here is an experienced fighter, I believe there would be no use in reviewing basic fighting maneuvers, especially since Anthony did a fantastic job of explaining them earlier," my father said. He smiled at Anthony, who graciously nodded in return.

"Therefore, I'd like to try something," my father continued. "Quick sparring rounds. One minute per round, first person down on the mat or out of the ring loses. Otherwise, the person who has taken the most hits in that minute loses. I want to get in as many rounds as possible, time-permitting, and make sure everyone has a chance to spar with each other." I wondered if this was my father's way of ensuring that he'd have a chance to beat the crap out of me, without making it look suspicious. I didn't have much time to think about that though because my father quickly announced the participants in the first sparring round: Mikhail and the ambassador. The energy in the air increased tenfold as they both stepped into the ring, assuming fighting stances. This was going to be one interesting fight to watch. The rest of us gathered around the ring, making sure not to stand too close in case one of them stepped too far outside the ring.

"Starting in five, four, three, two, one!" my father shouted, commencing the fight. The ambassador quickly moved towards Mikhail, wasting no time. With only one minute to fight, he likely wanted to get in as many hits as possible. Mikhail managed to dodge and quickly countered, landing a hit on the ambassador. I cheered along with the other group members rooting for Mikhail. I didn't know how good of a fighter the ambassador was but I knew Mikhail was an exceptional one.

Ten seconds before the end of the round, Mikhail pinned down the ambassador. Our small group burst into cheers, as Mikhail helped the ambassador up. The two of them shook hands, commending each other on a good sparring round. I grinned at Mikhail as he caught my eye, congratulating him on winning his first sparring round.

My father quickly assigned the next two fighters, Anthony and the economic adviser of the embassy, and I quickly got lost in the fast-paced action. I ended up sparring with quite a few other men. To my surprise, and everyone else's, I ended up winning almost all my fights. Somehow, I managed to win against both Anthony and the ambassador, pinning them down at the last second. My wins were met with tons of cheers and applause, almost like I had some sort of underdog status. Even my father seemed to be impressed with me, for once. The only person I lost against was Mikhail, but that didn't surprise me. He was much more experienced than I was and knew my fighting style all too well. I did put up a good fight though, before Mikhail pinned me down at the last second.

The last sparring round was between my father and the ambassador. Unsurprisingly, my father had won all of his sparring rounds and I didn't doubt that my father would win once more. He and the ambassador sparred like two old friends. They laughed and joked the whole time, taunting each other with fake-outs. At the last second, my father pinned the ambassador down, resulting in yet another win for him. Everyone started cheering for my father. However, the ambassador used my father's weight against him, flipping them around so my father was the one pinned down on the mat. Instead of being angry, as I expected, my father laughed, like he knew the ambassador was just joking around with him. The ambassador quickly stood up and helped my father up. They shared a quick guy hug, emphasizing their good-natured friendship.

I noticed that William and Marcus were finishing up with the other two groups. They were disbanding and heading off to the water fountains and the locker rooms. The other members of our group noticed this and started to head off. However, my father quickly called everyone back to attention.

"Thank you for your time this morning, in attending these self-defence classes," my father started. "You've all worked very hard today and I commend you for your hard work and effort. However, I have one little thing left, one last sparring round, if you will." My stomach immediately dropped. I did find it slightly odd how my father hadn't sparred with me once, throughout all of the one-minute sparring rounds. I had thought he was sparing me, letting me off the hook but it must have been too good to be true. My father surely had some trick up his sleeve.

"As I'm sure many of you know, I have a son. He's joined us for the self-defence classes today and many of you have sparred with him," my father said, looking over at where I was standing. "Alexei, how would you like to spar with me? A quick one-minute round, like before? Get in a few hits on your old man?" That elicited a few laughs from our group; however, I knew my father was just playing up his charismatic public persona. He would never say something like that to me if it was just the two of us, alone.

"Sure," I replied, trying to keep my voice calm and steady. The last thing I wanted was for my father to pick up any hints of fear and know that I was nervous about sparring with him. That would only give him more incentive to go harder on me.

"Excellent. However, I can't promise that I'll go easy on you," my father said, eliciting more laughs from the crowd. I walked into the ring, assuming a fight stance opposite my father. He still looked friendly and approachable, but there was a cold, hard look in his eyes as he stared me down. I tried not to let his gaze get to me, as it would only keep me from fighting at my best.

The ambassador counted us down, commencing the fight. Almost immediately, my father lunged towards me. I barely managed to dodge, getting grazed in the arm by a punch. My father easily got me with another punch. I tried not to wince on impact. Once again, my father was breaking the rules of sparring, by hitting me hard, instead of lightly tapping me. I tried to ignore the pain as best as I could and continued dodging my father's hits. I managed to get in a few hits, although I felt like my father purposely let his guard down so I could get those hits in.

Soon, the crowd start counting down the last ten seconds of the round. I knew I had to act quickly if I wanted to pin my father down. I made a move towards him but was caught off-guard by a roundhouse kick. It hit me in my side, causing me to lose my balance and fall over. I felt my father grabbing me from behind, as I was halfway to the mat. Before I knew what was happening, his arm snaked around my neck. I felt a sudden pressure against my neck and realized my father had me in a chokehold. I tried to escape but all I could really do was thrash about. As I glanced up helplessly at my father, he glared at me, a stony, emotionless look in his eyes. My father clearly knew what he was doing and he knew that I knew it. I felt my throat closing up, as my oxygen flow got cut off. My vision started fading and turning fuzzy. I knew it wouldn't be long before I lost consciousness. I struggled to hold on for as long as I could, which wasn't easy, considering my father's crushing grip. Just before I was about to lose consciousness, my father suddenly let go of me. I fell to the mats, landing in a heap on my side. Stars danced in my vision as my head started pounding. I coughed a few times, hoping my airways were still functioning normally.

I knew my father could be quite cruel to me, but I didn't think he'd actually put me in a chokehold until I almost lost consciousness, especially in front of a large crowd. However, I really should have known better. After all, my father had said that he wanted to try something, although practicing different ways to kill me hadn't exactly crossed my mind.

"Sorry about that, Alexei, I didn't realize how much power I'd put into that chokehold," my father said, with a laugh. He held out a hand to help me up. I gladly took it and slowly pulled myself up. My head was still pounding, although my breathing had more or less returned to normal. My father gave me a quick once-over. Once he saw that I was standing, and presumably fine, he turned back towards the crowd.

"This is what happens when Alexei gets in trouble," my father said lightly. Technically, he wasn't exaggerating. After all, he had pinned me to the ground after finding out I had danced with Grace. "Luckily, Alexei is a good kid. Straight-A student, never gets into fights at school, is always on his best behaviour at functions and formal dinners. Therefore, I don't have to beat him up very often." A roar of laughter erupted through the crowd. I did my best to smile and play along, like it was all just some cruel joke, instead of the harsh reality of my life behind closed doors. Little did they know just how much my father had threatened me and beat me up over the years.

"Thanks for letting me try that out on you, Alexei. You were a good sport and took it like a man," my father said. He quickly embraced me in a guy hug, which caught me by surprise. I gingerly returned his hug, to help him keep up his public persona of loving, caring father. In reality, my father was never one for physical contact, unless he was beating me up.

When my father pulled away from the hug, he gave me a cold, hard look, communicating everything he couldn't say in public. That chokehold had no doubt been another punishment for disobeying his rules. There was no telling what would happen to me if I stepped out of line again. I only knew that I would not be so lucky next time. I meekly nodded, finding myself unable to say anything. My father just glared at me, before turning around to address our group once more. In a matter of seconds, his face was all-smiles. It amazed me how he could so quickly transition between his public and private personas. He should have been the one in politics, not the ambassador.

"I'd like to thank you all once again for coming out today. I hope you will all take something away from these classes," my father said. He was met with warm smiles and friendly nods.

"And I'd like to thank Sergei for organizing these classes and for being an absolute pleasure to work with!" Anthony said. The crowd burst into applause and cheers as my father smiled at Anthony and shook hands with him. Anthony wrapped up my father in a guy hug, which my father graciously accepted. He seemed to be quite smiley and touchy-feely today, a stark contrast to how he normally was, especially around me.

With that, everyone was dismissed. Most people headed off towards the locker rooms, to take a quick shower before continuing on with the rest of the day. I slowly made my way back to my room. I had to stop a few times, to steady myself against the wall. My head was still viciously pounding, making me feel extremely disoriented. When I finally did make it back to my room, I immediately collapsed on my bed and closed my eyes. I soon heard a knock on the door and opened my eyes to see Mikhail walking into my room.

"Are you going to be okay?" Mikhail asked quietly. He sat down next to me on the bed and gently started rubbing circles on my back. It was a comforting gesture that calmed me down.

"I think so," I replied, hoping I'd be able to tough it out. If not, I could always have an early night. Sleep would definitely make me feel better.

"Your father shouldn't have done that to you. It wasn't right of him," Mikhail said. He was the only one who really knew just how bad my relationship with my father was. He was also the only one who was always there for me and tried his hardest to alleviate the tension between my father and I. In short, Mikhail acted like a real father should.

"What else could I have done about it?" I retorted. Mikhail fell silent. It was a rhetorical question and we both knew it. Although Mikhail tried his hardest, in the end, he had little influence over my father's behaviour towards me. My father had the power to do whatever he wanted with me and no one could really stop him. After all, no one would dare to question one of the highest-ranking staff members at the embassy. It would be blasphemy to do such a thing.

"Still. I worry about you, Lyosha," Mikhail said, continuing to rub circles on my back. "Get some rest, okay? Would you like me to tell your father that you're not feeling well and won't be joining us for lunch?"

"No, I'll be fine." The last thing I wanted was for my father to think that I was weak. He already thought so little of me, contrary to what he said about me in public. "I'll just take a nap then meet up with Tanner and Jordan at Amelia's."

"Okay," Mikhail said. "I'll pass that onto your father." I simply nodded and closed my eyes. My head started pounding more intensely and I wasn't sure how much longer I could hold on. Before I knew it, I lost myself to a deep, dreamless sleep, free from all the troubles that bogged me down in the real world.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Dec. 27 and Jan. 3 (hopefully it'll be sooner rather than later because I'm on winter break right now). Happy holidays everyone!**


	19. Chapter 19 - Boys Will Be Boys

**Happy New Year everyone! I hope you all enjoyed your holidays. I spent most of my winter break working on other projects and didn't spend quite as much time on fanfiction as I would have liked. However, I was able to get a lot of editing done (I had a lot of major issues to sort out) for the last third of Falling for You (in case you weren't aware, I write all my chapters way in advance and edit them at least two or three times before posting). Anyways, before I keep rambling (which I tend to do a lot, as you may have noticed from my long chapters), here's the next chapter!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Nineteen: Boys Will Be Boys

When I finally woke up, there was late afternoon sunlight streaming in through the window. I slowly sat up in bed, rubbing my eyes. My head wasn't pounding anymore, just throbbing slightly. My neck still felt a bit funny, even though I was breathing just fine. I hoped that would clear up soon before more serious health issues arose.

I walked into the bathroom. I stripped off my sweaty workout clothes and took a long, hot shower. It felt really nice and helped me clear my head. By the time I got out, the throbbing in my head had pretty much disappeared, leaving a dull pain that I could handle. The steam from the shower must have also helped my airways because my throat also felt a lot better.

After towelling off, I walked back into my bedroom. I grabbed a pair of tailored shorts from the floor near my closet, deeming them clean enough to wear. As I rummaged around in my dresser for a t-shirt, I heard a knock on the door. I jumped in surprise, grabbing a random shirt, a black graphic tee. I managed to pull the shirt on just as my bedroom door opened. I quickly relaxed when I saw Mikhail standing by the door.

"You're looking a lot better," Mikhail commented. "I guess the sleep did you some good?"

"You have no idea," I replied. I felt much more refreshed than before, although I still wasn't feeling completely normal.

"That's good. I figured I'd let you sleep as long as you wanted, even though your father didn't like that. He expected you to be hanging around the embassy, like everything was just fine." I rolled my eyes. Of course that's what my father would want. He didn't care if he hurt me, even to the point where I felt too weak to do anything. He always wanted me to be the perfect son, to hide my pain and act like a man at all times. He frowned upon intense emotional displays and expected me to take everything without complaint. Needless to say, that didn't always work out so well.

"Are you still planning on meeting up with Tanner and Jordan?" Mikhail asked me.

"Of course. Although I'd say it's a bit too late for lunch now." A quick glance at the clock on my bedside table told me it was almost 4:30 p.m. Too late for lunch but too early for dinner.

"It doesn't matter. You still need food, especially after what happened earlier. It'll help you get your strength up." I nodded in agreement. Food did sound good right now. I imagined digging into a delicious omelette at Amelia's. My mouth almost started watering in anticipation.

"I'll tell your father you'll be out," Mikhail said.

"Thanks." I didn't exactly want to see my father anytime soon, especially after that little stunt he pulled today during the self-defence classes. Knowing him, he'd probably act like it never happened or like it wasn't a big deal and was just some kind of joke.

"Would you like me to walk you out?"

"No, I'll be alright. Thanks though."

"Have fun," Mikhail said, with a smile. He headed down the hall, in the direction of my father's office. I slipped my feet into a pair of black Converse then grabbed my phone and my wallet. I headed down the stairs, towards the main entrance of the embassy. Just as I made it past the gates, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I turned on my phone and found a text from Tanner.

" _bro where the hell r u?_ " I sighed in response as I scrolled up through all the messages I had missed. Unsurprisingly, he had been texting me non-stop all afternoon, wondering where I was.

" _had a rlly long nap. Just woke up_ " I replied.

" _im on my way, dont freak out_ " I texted again, to calm Tanner down.

" _kk good. J and I srsly starting 2 get worried_ " Tanner replied almost instantly. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Tanner was the one who always freaked out over everything. Jordan was pretty calm and level-headed, like me. I started typing a response back to Tanner, when a shrill voice caught me by surprise.

"Excuse me, Mr. Volkov, what on Earth are you doing here?" I looked up and noticed two things. Firstly, that I was standing right in front of the gates to the American embassy and secondly, that an angry Ms. Chancellor was quickly approaching me, from the other side of the gates.

"I was just on my way to see my friends," I replied.

"Do you mean Grace?" Ms. Chancellor was glaring at me, as if she was daring me to respond.

"No. I don't have any plans with Grace today and didn't have any intentions of seeing her," I replied honestly.

"Good. Ambassador Vincent and I have been getting a lot of reports from the guards. They said that a certain young Russian man has been stopping by quite frequently, always asking to see Grace." Ms. Chancellor gave me an extremely pointed look, like she knew she had caught me red-handed.

"I just wanted to make sure she was alright," I started carefully, "Especially after what happened the night of the ball."

"Grace is doing just fine," Ms. Chancellor snapped, causing me to wince. "We have a team of extremely qualified medical personnel who do a wonderful job of checking on Grace and assessing her mental and physical health. I can assure you that based on their evaluations, Grace is doing great, excellent even, and doesn't need someone like you to check on her." I had definitely not been expecting that. I wondered how much of it was made up because last time I checked, Grace didn't seem all that fine.

"Eleanor, what's going on over here?" Ambassador Vincent asked, walking up towards the gates. He paused when he saw me.

"Alexei, pleasure to see you." The ambassador gave me a curt nod and a somewhat friendly smile.

"Same to you, Ambassador Vincent," I replied, with that same aloof politeness. I had a feeling this would get awkward very quickly.

"Are you here to see Grace?" Ambassador Vincent asked. Although he sounded friendly, I felt like he was testing me, to see if I'd say the right thing.

"No, sir, I was just passing by. I'm on my way to see some of my school friends."

"Good. I'm sure you're aware that it's not in Grace's best interest to see you." I was pretty sure he made that up, although with Grace, I could never tell what she was thinking. I had no idea if she actually wanted to see me again or if she was trying to avoid me.

"Of course. I understand. Diplomatic relations."

"Although from what I hear, diplomatic relations certainly haven't stopped you from dropping by," Ambassador Vincent said, raising an eyebrow at me. Geez, was it really such a crime to check on Grace, as a friend?

"I just wanted to make sure Grace was alright after what happened the night of the ball," I reiterated. "Since it seems like she's more than okay, I don't see any reason to stop by and check on her."

"Good. For a second there, I was concerned that you didn't have any regard for diplomatic relations. After all, you surely understand why it'd be better to keep your distance from Grace."

"Of course, I wouldn't want to cause her any unnecessary trouble," I replied curtly. I noticed the limo that had just pulled up to the curb and quickly stepped aside. "Well, I won't keep you from wherever you're headed tonight, Ambassador Vincent."

"Dinner with the Chinese ambassador," Ms. Chancellor said stiffly. She got into the limo, without saying another word to me. Ambassador Vincent just gave me a polite nod, before he climbed into the limo. I watched as the limo rolled down the street, towards the Chinese embassy. I hadn't realized how much Ambassador Vincent and Ms. Chancellor wanted Grace to stay away from me, just as my father wanted me to stay away from Grace. That was definitely going to make it a lot harder for me to see her. It almost seemed unfair, to have these diplomatic relations that dictated how friendly Grace and I were allowed to be. I couldn't help it if I had slightly fallen for her and just wanted to see her.

Snapping out of my thoughts, I walked over to Amelia's. I found Tanner sitting at a large, round table on the patio. He looked up from his phone, waving me over. Just as I sat down next to Tanner, Jordan came by and unloaded a huge tray of food onto the table.

"Hey, bro, we heard about what happened earlier," Tanner said sympathetically. "Sucks to be you, honestly."

"We know you're probably not going to want to talk about it. So instead, we thought we'd treat you," Jordan said, setting the empty tray down on the table and sitting down, on Tanner's other side.

"All this? On the house?" I asked in disbelief, looking at the spread of food in front of me. "I appreciate the gesture but are you nuts, sneaking this much food out of the kitchen for me?" There was a huge plate in front of me, with my usual Mediterranean omelette, a huge pile of hash browns, and three slices of rye toast slathered with butter. There was also a large smoothie. I took a sip of it and relished in its sweetness.

"Well technically, I didn't sneak this out of the kitchen," Jordan replied.

"Some guy came by and ordered this for you," Tanner said, with a shrug.

"Some guy?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"He looked kinda familiar but neither of us could place him," Jordan responded. "Average height but on the taller side, middle-aged, blonde hair."

"I could have sworn I had seen him before though. Maybe at the Russian embassy?" Tanner pondered.

"You mean Mikhail?" I asked, the pieces suddenly falling together in my head.

"Yeah, him. If that's his name," Jordan said.

"It was the guy who told us a sob story about his life then told you to get it on with Grace," Tanner said, his eyes lighting up in recognition.

"That's definitely Mikhail," I muttered.

"He stopped by earlier during my shift and said that you weren't feeling well," Jordan said. "He ordered a bunch of food for you and paid for it all then left, without getting anything for himself." I couldn't help but smile to myself. That was exactly the kind of thing Mikhail would do. He was such a loving and caring person, despite everything that had happened to him.

I started digging into my food. I hadn't realized it earlier but I was really hungry. The food was tasting more delicious than usual and I couldn't stop myself from wolfing it down.

"Someone's hungry," Tanner commented, looking at me in amusement. "I've never seen you eat so fast in your life."

"Well, excuse me for being human and needing food," I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm. Tanner just rolled his eyes. Suddenly, he glanced towards the entrance to the restaurant, like something had caught his attention. I was momentarily confused before I heard the sound of high heels clicking on the pavement and a very familiar voice.

"Hey boys. How's it going?" I turned to find Lila standing next to our table.

"Not too bad," Tanner replied, speaking for all of us. I was more than happy to stay silent, so I could continue stuffing my face.

"Mind if I sit down?" Lila asked, gesturing to the empty chairs at our table. Tanner, Jordan, and I just looked at each other and shrugged. It made for an odd form of mutual, silent agreement.

"Not at all. While you're here, can I get you anything? Something to drink? I can grab a menu if you like," Jordan asked, slipping into his waiter role.

"I don't need a menu. I'll have a fruit salad and a lemon water please," Lila said, looking at Jordan sweetly. She slid into the empty chair next to me. Jordan noted Lila's order then headed off to the kitchen.

"Alexei, you've got a lot of food there," Lila commented, looking over at my plate.

"Just having a bit of a late lunch," I replied.

"It's a bit late for lunch, isn't it?" Lila asked. I just shrugged and continued eating.

"Hey, our boy here has had a rough day," Tanner said, putting his arm around me. "Let him eat in peace, will ya?"

"I was going to say, you don't look so good, Alexei," Lila said, looking at me with concern.

"I'm fine," I replied automatically. I didn't really need Lila to know what had happened today with my father.

"You're not fine," Jordan said, returning to the table. "If we're going to be perfectly honest here, you look like shit."

"Thanks for the compliment," I said sarcastically. I could not care less about how I looked right now. All I wanted was to get away from the embassy and get my father off my mind for a while.

"I'm serious. Is everything okay, Alexei?" Lila asked, turning to look at me.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thanks for asking," I replied, a bit too coldly. Everyone just stared at me in shock.

"Bro, you clearly are not fine," Tanner said, breaking the awkward silence.

"You know you can tell us if something's bothering you," Jordan added.

"Besides, are those _bruises_ on your neck?" Lila gasped. She moved towards me, like she was going to touch my neck, but I immediately flinched, moving out of her reach.

"Damn, you really did get messed up today," Jordan said, a hint of sadness in his voice.

"Sparring with my father will do that," I said darkly.

"So what exactly happened today?" Lila asked, still looking really concerned but slightly curious.

"We had self-defence classes today at the embassy," I started. "That started out fine until my father decided to split everyone up into groups. I was put into a group with him and all the other good fighters. My father made us all spar against each other. When it was my turn to spar with my father, he basically beat me up and finished by putting me in a chokehold until I almost lost consciousness." I was met with three horrified expressions.

"Damn, bro, Mikhail said that you got messed up today but I didn't think it was that bad," Tanner said.

"Tell me about it; putting you in a chokehold is absolutely awful!" Lila exclaimed, looking at me with pity.

"Yeah, well that's my father for you," I said, heartlessly. Everyone just looked around awkwardly, not sure what to say or how to comfort me. Jordan left and soon returned with Lila's food, which brightened the mood slightly. However, a noticeable cloud of darkness still hung over the table. I silently cursed my father for having this effect on me, for dampening my mood just at the mere thought of him.

"So, has everyone heard about the recent exciting developments?" Lila asked, in an attempt to get some less awkward conversation going.

"What exciting developments?" Tanner asked, completely clueless.

"The G-20 summit. It's being hosted in Valancia this year," Lila said excitedly.

"Really? I thought it was being held in Prague," I said, recalling a small snippet of a conversation I heard between my father and the ambassador.

"Nope, it's in Valancia. The summit had to be moved due to a problem with the venue," Lila replied, spearing a piece of melon with her fork.

"Wow, that's sudden notice," Tanner commented. He looked just as surprised as I felt.

"Seriously, how did you guys not know about this? It was announced yesterday," Lila said, her voice full of disapproval. "You know, as embassy kids, we should be up to date on current affairs."

"I knew and I'm not even an embassy kid," Jordan said, with a cocky grin. "Had a staff meeting at the catering company yesterday afternoon to discuss catering for all the G-20 events. Guess who's going to be working most of the big events?" The grin on his face got even wider.

"They trust you to handle big events like the G-20?" I asked, with a slightly sarcastic tone.

"Relax, I know what I'm doing. I've got this catering job down pat," Jordan said, sounding really full of himself.

"You better because I wouldn't want my canapes to end up all over the floor," Lila said.

"Or for a bunch of hors d'oeuvres to suddenly go missing and end up in a cooler in someone's car," I said, trying to hide a smirk.

"Hey, in my defense, they were sitting around in the kitchen and were going to be thrown out. I was saving them from a terrible fate!" Jordan exclaimed.

"That's not what you were saying when we were dividing up the boxes," Tanner argued. Jordan just sighed in response.

"What's this I hear about missing hors d'oeuvres?" Lila asked, suddenly seeming very interested in our conversation.

"Nothing," Tanner, Jordan, and I all said, at the same time, causing Lila to roll her eyes.

"Boys," she muttered, sighing. "Honestly, your whole gender makes me want to rip my hair out sometimes. Take Noah, for example. He's been acting weird, ever since Grace showed up. He's always out and he's super vague about where he's been and what he's been doing. I don't get why he has to be all secretive although I bet he's been doing a bunch of illicit things with Grace."

"What kind of illicit things?" Tanner asked, with a suggestive tone. He playfully wiggled his eyebrows, getting his intentions across. To be honest, I was a bit curious too, as to what Grace had been doing all this time and why she was never in the embassy.

"How would I know?" Lila retorted.

"Well that explains why Grace is never in the American embassy when Alexei goes over there for a booty call," Jordan said, with a smirk.

"Geez, I just want to talk to her, not get my sexual needs fulfilled," I replied. Nonetheless, it was still enough to make Lila more than a little mad.

"Close enough," Tanner said, with a shrug. "Doesn't make a difference when you get the girl either way, right?" I just rolled my eyes.

"In all seriousness, your girl is up to some real shady stuff," Jordan remarked.

"Tell me about it," I replied. What was Grace up to anyways, that would require her to be so secretive?

"Anyways, you guys all done there?" Jordan asked.

"Yup, thanks for everything," Lila replied sweetly. I didn't realize how quickly she had finished her fruit salad. I was still working through my huge pile of hash browns, which I noticed Lila sneakily eyeing.

"You want some?" I asked, gesturing to my potatoes.

"No thanks, I'm good," Lila replied. "That fruit salad was really filling."

"I'm gonna call BS on that," Tanner retorted. "You're looking at those potatoes like you haven't eaten all day."

"That's true," Jordan seconded. "Potatoes aren't going to make you fat, if that's what you're concerned about."

"I just want to make sure I'm eating healthily," Lila said, although she picked up her fork again. "Do you mind?"

"Not at all. I've got a ton of potatoes here that I probably won't be able to finish," I replied. Lila speared three hash browns with her fork and dipped them in ketchup.

"Hey, I got you a double portion of hash browns for the price of one," Jordan said. "And I'm mildly disappointed you didn't finish it on your own."

"You really expect me to finish a double portion of hash browns in addition to an extra-large omelette and three slices of toast?" I deadpanned.

"Well kinda, considering all the shit you went through today," Jordan said.

"Besides, I think _someone_ is doing a mighty fine job finishing those hash browns for you," Tanner said. I looked back down at my plate to find more than half of the hash browns gone. I looked over at Lila but her face gave away nothing as she kept shovelling down hash browns. With a sigh, I continued eating, until Lila and I had finished all my potatoes.

"Well, we did a pretty good job finishing that up," Lila said, dipping the last potato in ketchup.

"Oh, you have no idea," Tanner muttered. I gave him a chastising look.

"I'll take care of this," Jordan replied, standing up to clear our dishes. "You can pay up front at the host stand." Lila thanked Jordan then headed over to the front of the café to pay.

"Bro, didn't your shift already end?" Tanner asked, as Jordan cleared up the last of the dishes.

"Yeah. Figured I could work a bit of overtime for my friends," Jordan replied, carefully picking up the stack of dishes.

"You need a hand?" I asked, looking at the precarious pile of dishes in Jordan's hands.

"Nah, I got this, bro," Jordan said, sounding pretty confident with himself. However, the look on his face begged to differ.

"Whatever you say. Not my problem if you get in trouble for dropping a whole stack of dishes," I replied, giving him a warning look.

"Hey, don't jinx it, bro," Jordan said. I just grinned at him.

"We'll talk later in the group chat," Tanner called out to Jordan, as we headed back onto the street. However, we didn't get very far before Lila stopped us.

"Alexei, do you have any plans for the rest of the afternoon?" Lila asked.

"Um, not really," I replied truthfully, not sure where this was headed.

"Damn, someone's desperate," Tanner commented, causing Lila to give him a dirty look. She was about to reply when a loud phone chime suddenly interrupted her. Tanner sheepishly pulled out his phone and quickly glanced at it.

"Geez, you couldn't have chosen a more obvious text tone," I said, sarcastically. Tanner just shrugged as he typed a response.

"In all seriousness, what's up?" I asked.

"Oh, my parents just want me home soon-ish because they think I've been out too late," Tanner said, frowning slightly, his attention still focused on his phone.

"Late? The sun hasn't even set yet," Lila said, her face scrunching up in confusion.

"That's Asian parenting for you," Tanner said, rolling his eyes. "I better get home before they freak out."

"That's totally understandable. See you later, man," I replied. Tanner quickly wrapped me up in a guy hug then took off in the direction of the South Korean embassy.

"Well, I guess that just leaves us two," Lila said, once Tanner was out of earshot. "And I think we really need to talk."

"Talk?" I asked warily, suddenly feeling very concerned.

"Yes. It's been a while since we've talked. Hot springs?"

"Sure." Lila just nodded and grabbed my hand, pulling me towards the hot springs. I had a feeling I was going to be in for one hell of a talk.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think Lila and Alexei will talk about? Next chapter will be up between Jan. 10 and Jan. 18.**

 **Just a heads up that I may need to take a month or two off from posting Falling for You, to focus on school. I already have a bad feeling about my final grades from last semester and I feel like they're not going to be as good as I hoped (I got unofficial grades back from one class already and it wasn't as good as I was hoping). I really want to do well next semester and unfortunately, that does mean putting more time towards school and less time towards fanfiction. As much as I enjoy writing fanfiction, school always has been and always will be my first priority (like I said before).**

 **For now, this is all up in the air and I'm just going to play this by ear. I'll know for sure what's happening with my schedule over the next month and half, two months when I post the next chapter and I'll include more about that in my end-of-chapter author's note next chapter. Thanks in advance for understanding!**

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 **Update (Jan. 18): Hey everyone! Clearly, it's the 18** **th** **and I don't have the next chapter ready like I said I would. I'd like to apologize for that. Thank you for being patient with me, especially since I hate to make you all wait. I've had a crazy week, with so much to do for labs. I've already had a lab report due for analytical and a crazy long prelab for inorganic (my two required chem courses for this semester). Luckily, next week, I won't have as much lab prep to do (since I'm just continuing the experiments I did this week). I'm aiming to get the next chapter up by Jan. 27 (I definitely want it posted before the end of January). I did add a lot to the next chapter (as usual) and I'm not sure if it fits with Lila and Alexei's characters. Anyways, hopefully I'll be able to sort that out and get the next chapter posted ASAP!**

 **Btw, do you all like hearing stuff about my personal life in my author's notes or is that too unprofessional? Personally, I do like hearing a few details about others' lives in author's notes but not too much. Anyways, let me know what you think and thank you again for your patience!**


	20. Chapter 20 - We Don't Talk Anymore

**To the guest who reviewed on the previous chapter: Thanks for your review! I'm glad you're enjoying Falling for You!**

 **Wow, I am a really shitty person for seriously delaying in posting this chapter. I've had so much more to do for school than I expected and I've got a crazy few weeks coming up (more on that later). So I put off editing this chapter because I've been super busy and there were a lot of things that I weren't sure about with this chapter. Thank you all for being patient with me and putting up with my inconsistent posting times. If you're a Lila and Alexei shipper, then this chapter is for you!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Twenty: We Don't Talk Anymore

After a quiet walk, Lila and I reached the hot springs. I automatically pushed aside the undergrowth of trees, to let Lila pass through first. The constant, steady hum of the waterfall instantly calmed me down. It was enough to make Lila relax too, as she dropped her usual authoritative façade for a much calmer facial expression.

"I'm always taken aback by how nice this is," Lila said, as we walked down the tiny valley. "I can't remember the last time I've been here."

"Probably the last time you came here with me," I replied. I had sworn Lila to secrecy about the hot springs, making her promise she wouldn't tell her friends and have huge parties here. To my knowledge, she had kept good on her promise.

"Which was way too long ago," Lila said, with a sigh. "Want to sit down?"

"Of course." I removed my shoes and sat down by the edge of the water, dipping my feet in. Lila did the same, scooting up right next to me.

"I've missed this, you know," Lila said, turning to look up at me. "It's been a long time since we've properly talked."

"Well, we had exams earlier and we've both been especially busy this summer."

"Me? Not really," Lila said, with a sad laugh. "I've spent a fair bit of the summer chilling on my own. It's not fun, you know."

"That's only because you don't like being alone," I replied, a hint of a smile on my lips.

"Well, Noah's out all the time, doing whatever it is he does with Grace."

"What about Megan? The two of you are pretty close."

"It sure doesn't seem like it lately. Megan's been out all the time too. She's been acting so sketchy lately, even more so than Noah. I have no idea what's up with either of them." Something suddenly clicked in my mind.

"Has it ever crossed your mind that Megan and Noah might have been hanging out together?" Lila looked up at me in surprise.

"No way. They don't even know each other that well. Why would they be hanging out together?" I had seen the looks Megan and Noah had given each other. Of course they'd be hanging out together. However, I decided it was better not to mention that to Lila.

"You mentioned earlier at Amelia's that you thought Noah was doing illicit things with Grace."

"Well, what else could he possibly be doing that would make him act so weird?"

"You also said that both Noah and Megan have been acting weird since Grace showed up. I know for a fact that Grace is barely at the American embassy. What if the three of them have been hanging out together?"

"No. That's not possible," Lila said, a defiant look on her face. "Megan _hates_ Grace; she told me that herself."

"That might be the case but what if they have a specific reason for hanging out? What if Megan and Noah are helping Grace with something super secretive? That could explain both Noah and Megan's recent behaviour, as you describe it."

"I don't get why they'd both want to hang out with Grace though. What is she doing anyways, that requires both Noah and Megan's help?" We both fell silent at that. What the hell was Grace doing? I wanted to know, not just for Jamie's sake so that he'd know what Grace was up to but for my own too. I wanted to know why Grace was acting so secretive and why she wouldn't let me in. After all, I couldn't keep an eye on her if I didn't know what she was up to half the time.

"All I'm saying is that Grace, Noah, and Megan better have a good explanation for whatever it is they're doing," Lila continued. "They can't keep it a secret forever."

"I'm sure we'll find out eventually," I said, trying to reassure not only Lila, but also myself. I could only hope that Grace wasn't doing something seriously illegal and that she hadn't dragged a couple innocent kids into it.

"We better. I don't know how much more of this secret-keeping I can take. It feels like I don't even know Noah and Megan anymore," Lila said, with a sigh. I instinctively put my arm around her, in a comforting gesture. She leaned into me, resting her head against my chest.

"You still have me," I said softly, trying to sound as comforting as possible.

"Although I haven't seen much of you lately either." Lila looked up at me, a bit of an accusatory look in her eyes. I immediately felt guilty.

"Well, I've been busy too," I said, not entirely lying.

"We haven't been hanging out as much. To be honest, I've been missing that." Lila looked right at me, exponentially increasing the guilty feeling in my stomach.

"I'm sorry," I started, hoping I was saying the right thing. "I've been working out a lot and hanging out with Tanner and Jordan. And my father has got me on a tight leash recently."

"He's obviously not that concerned about you if you're here with me instead of back at the embassy."

"For all I know, he could be fuming mad right now. Things with my father have just gotten worse ever since Grace showed up."

"I'll say. Everything has gotten worse since Grace showed up."

"You can't blame her for every little thing that has gone wrong."

"She does make a rather convenient scapegoat though. Besides, everyone seems so different lately and I can't help but feel like that's Grace's doing. I mean, she's even got you wrapped around her finger. What do you even see in her anyways?" That was a good question. What did I like so much about Grace?

"I guess it's her sense of adventure," I started, "And the way she's not afraid to jump in head first and deal with the consequences later. It's evident in her headstrong personality and the way she manages to look effortlessly beautiful without trying."

"And you're saying I'm not beautiful." Lila gazed up at me through long, voluminous eyelashes that were no doubt coated with tons of mascara.

"Of course you're beautiful. You and Grace are two different kinds of beautiful. You're the classic kind of beautiful, getting all dolled up and putting tons of effort into your appearance. I appreciate that kind of effort; it doesn't seem easy to spend so much time every day on your hair and makeup. And I like the end result because the way you do your makeup really plays up your features." Lila beamed at me. "Grace is the effortless kind of beautiful. She doesn't try to look beautiful but even with dirt all over her face and sweaty, matted hair, she still manages to look beautiful. In a way, it's almost like she doesn't even realize she's beautiful. You and her are two completely different girls. There's no way I could possibly compare the two of you. Yes, I may like Grace but you'll always be my friend. I won't let Grace get in the way of our friendship, no matter how much the two of you dislike each other."

"Dislike is a nice way of saying it," Lila muttered. I simply raised an eyebrow at her.

"As far as I'm concerned, you and Grace barely know each other. Yes, you may have your differences, but is it really so hard to act civil towards her?"

"It's kinda hard to like someone when they completely shut you down the first time you meet."

"To be fair, you don't have to be mean to everyone." That made Lila frown. She definitely had a mean girl persona that tied into her role as the unofficial leader of the embassy kids. That was more than enough to scare a lot of the younger embassy kids into listening to her.

"She had it coming for her though," Lila retorted, causing me to raise an eyebrow at her.

"Lila, you know it's not a good idea to go around making enemies with everyone, especially here in Adria where diplomatic relations matter. For my sake, could you try to be civil to Grace?"

"And risk losing to her in the competition for your heart?" I sighed. As far as I was concerned, Lila still wasn't over me, even though it had been almost a year since our fling. At this point, I was starting to wonder if she'd ever get over me or if she'd just continue moping over me.

"Grace does not like me in that way. In fact, I'm pretty sure she dislikes me more than she likes me right now." If my last conversation with Grace was anything to go by, then she definitely didn't care for me much right now.

"Now you know how I feel, having a crush on someone who doesn't feel the same way," Lila deadpanned. This twist of fate was all too ironic. I couldn't help feeling slightly guilty for not returning Lila's feelings.

"Well, at least I never disliked you," I pointed out.

"That's true and I'm very grateful for that," Lila said, leaning in closer to me. "I would have hated losing you as a friend."

"I know." I tightened my hold on Lila. Sitting with her like this had become so familiar to me, that it felt almost natural. I wondered if I'd ever be able to do this with Grace, once she decided she didn't hate me anymore. However, I really was fortunate to have Lila as a friend, no matter how much that complicated things. It was so easy being with her, just sitting and talking. Yet, the easy thing wasn't always the right thing and deep down, I always knew that a relationship with Lila would never be right for me. It was evident during our brief fling last summer and now, it was abundantly clear. I could never be with Lila, not when Grace was the person that my heart longed for.

Lila suddenly stiffened in my arms. Her breathing seemed shallower and her heart was beating much faster than normal.

"Everything alright?" I asked. Lila didn't respond. She just stared straight ahead, like she was ignoring me or avoiding my gaze. Maybe both.

"Is there something you want to tell me?" I asked, gentler this time. I knew something was wrong with her; I had picked up on it the moment she had stiffened in my arms.

"No," Lila replied, a bit too harshly. She still continued to avoid my gaze. I gently cupped her chin in my hand, gently tilting her head up so she was forced to look at me.

"You know you can trust me. You know I won't judge you or tell anyone." Lila's eyes shifted about nervously, like she was deliberating something in her head.

"I know. It's just … I don't know if I'm allowed to tell you." I raised my eyebrows in surprise. What on earth was Lila talking about? She didn't say anything though, which didn't surprise me. I stayed silent, knowing she would talk when she was ready. I put my arm back around her and she leaned back against me, resting her head on my chest. I just held her, rubbing small circles on her back. It seemed to calm her down, as her breathing evened out and her heart rate returned back to normal.

"Did you mean all those things you ever said about your mother?" Lila asked. I looked at her, confused. Why was she suddenly bringing up my mother?

"I remember how you said that before she disappeared, your mother would always meet up with her friends to talk about long-last secrets and marvel over ancient artifacts," Lila continued. "Is that true?"

"Yes, of course," I replied, not sure what Lila was getting at. "I wouldn't lie to you about something like that." All these memories from my childhood, of watching my mother, Grace's mother, and Princess Ann talking in excited whispers and poring over old books flared up in my mind. I was instantly transported to summers from long ago, long before any of this drama with Grace had happened.

"I know." There was a brief moment of silence before Lila took a deep breath.

"Do you know what the Society is?" Lila asked, her voice shaking.

"Of course. It's the group of women in Adria who keep the secrets of our ancestors hidden," I replied, recalling what my mother had told me when I was younger.

"The other day, my mother and Ms. Chancellor sat down with me and told me about the Society. They'd like me to join it." Lila stopped short, taking another deep breath before continuing. "Apparently, it's tradition for the women in my mother's family to join the Society when they come of age. Mother took me through these tunnels and into this creepy vault. There, I learned the truth about who I'm supposed to be. It's all so crazy and confusing. I don't know what to think of it or how to feel about it." She let out a sigh and leaned in closer to me. I started rubbing circles on her back again, to comfort her.

"So it looks like you're joining the Society soon?"

"What do you think? It's not like I have a choice. It's practically my birthright. I have to embrace it whether I like it or not."

"My mother was part of the Society too but you probably already knew that. If it makes you feel better, I probably would have joined the Society too if I was a girl." That was enough to garner a smile from Lila, although her expression quickly turned somber again.

"Even though you're a boy, it certainly seemed like that never stopped your mother from telling you about the Society. I can't believe she broke the rules like that. You know how the Society is super secretive about everything."

"Well, my mother certainly wasn't one to follow the rules."

"And look how well that turned out for her." Lila looked at me pointedly. I sighed, unable to argue. To this day, I still had no idea what had happened to my mother, even with the letter she had given me. All the letter had done was reaffirm my belief that my mother had willingly left me. However, Lila's words caused me to think about my mother's disappearance in a new light. Had the Society been behind my mother's disappearance because she broke their rules? I shuddered at the thought of the women in the Society exiling my mother to who knows where. That couldn't be possible, could it?

"I'm scared, Alexei," Lila said, her voice suddenly small and shaky.

"Scared of what?" I asked, looking down at her with concern.

"Joining the Society. All the ladies … they're so intimidating. Whenever one of the ladies look at me, I feel like I'm going to throw up. They have this way of looking at you like they're trying to uncover all your deepest secrets. And the weapons … oh my god, they have so many weapons. Battle axes, knives, guns, you name it, they have it. It's so fascinating but so scary at the same time. Like one of those ladies could just cut me into pieces if I said the wrong thing or stepped out of line. I'm so terrified of not being able to live up to my mother's expectations of joining the Society." I pulled Lila closer to me, anchoring her to me. I had never seen her this scared before and I knew she was trying her hardest to keep it under control. With Lila, the emotions that she showed in public were only the tip of the iceberg.

"Lila, you're so strong, stronger than you think you are. I know you'll pass every test the Society members will throw at you. Believe me when I say that you'll exceed their highest expectations." Lila looked up at me, tears shining in her eyes.

"But what if I don't? What if I don't meet their standards and get kicked out of the Society? Mother would be furious with me. I would be letting her down so much if that happened." She started shaking in my arms and I knew that she was crying. I tightened my hold on her. Even though Lila oozed confidence and always seemed to have everything under control, there was always so much more she was hiding underneath. Her tough, bossy exterior hid the layers of insecurities and hurt inside. She hardly let anyone in and I was grateful to be one of the few who knew what was really going on with her.

"What happened to not caring about pleasing everyone?" I asked. Lila sniffed, a sure sign she had been crying. "What happened to the girl who didn't care what others thought of her and did whatever she wanted?"

"I wish. There's no way that would be cool with the Society ladies. It's literally their way or the highway. They'd kick me out within two seconds if I even thought about going against their rules. I feel like I have to please everyone and meet their expectations before they'll even think about letting me in."

"Well, your mother and Ms. Chancellor have already talked to you about it. Surely, that's a good sign that they'd like you to join."

"Or that I'm the next girl they're looking to torture with their ridiculous rules and battle-ax collection."

"It can't possibly be that bad." Lila looked at me disbelievingly.

"I'd like to see you in that room with all the deadly weapons and the vulture-like Society ladies scrutinizing you like prey."

"Fair enough. I can't imagine having to deal with that." Lila gave me a told-you-so look, as if proving her point. "How long have you known?"

"A little more than a week," Lila replied, looking distantly at the hot springs.

"Has this been eating away at you this entire time?"

"No." However, given the way Lila refused to look at me, this whole Society thing definitely had been taking up her thoughts.

"Do you really expect me to believe that?" I cupped her face in my hands, forcing her to look at me. As soon as our eyes met, she instantly looked away.

"Yes. No. I don't know, believe whatever you want! I shouldn't have told you anyways," Lila shouted, her voice cracking. She pushed herself away from me. Her hair fell around her face, creating a barrier between me and her. Her entire body was shaking, her breath coming in ragged gasps. I just knew that silent tears were streaming down her cheeks. It broke my heart to see her like this. She was always so confident and strong but she was hiding so much, to the point where it was literally tearing her apart.

"Hey, come here. You don't have to run from me," I said gently. I inched closer to her and gently placed my hand on her arm. She initially froze at my touch but soon relented, shifting closer to me. I put my arms around her and she leaned into me, burying her head in my chest. She sobbed into my shirt but I couldn't care less. I didn't care if she got mascara and tear stains all over my shirt. All I wanted was for her to feel safe, so she didn't have to go through this alone.

"I'm so glad you told me. I'm so proud of you for working up the courage to let me in. It must not have been easy, especially with such a deep and powerful secret."

"It's not like I was telling you stuff you didn't already know," Lila retorted.

"Still. Thank you for telling me and trusting me with that. You know I'll take this to my grave."

"You better. I don't want the Society ladies to come after you."

"They won't." Even then, I couldn't be sure though. The Society had ways of finding out information and they had eyes everywhere. I had no idea just how much they knew or if they would care enough to go after a teenage boy who knew about their existence.

"You don't know what they could do to someone who knows about them, even a teenage boy."

"What could they possibly do anyways, castrate me?" I couldn't help but smirk as I said that. Lila groaned, rolling her eyes.

"Alexei, those ladies are practically assassins. They could do anything they wanted to you. You need to be careful, even though your mother was a Society member."

"Hey, that goes for you too." I gently placed my hand under Lila's chin and tilted her head up. I looked right into her eyes, willing my words to get through to her. "I understand how important the Society is to your family but I don't want you getting hurt because of that. I will support you regardless of whether or not you choose to join the Society."

"Alexei, you're the best, you know that?" Lila asked, burying her head in my chest.

"I'm just doing what I can to make you feel better," I said honestly. "I believe in you. I believe you'll be able to live up to your birthright and own it too. You'll absolutely rock the Society with your special Lila flair." Lila laughed, making me smile.

"Thanks for that, Alexei. For everything," Lila said, looking up at me.

"Of course. It's what I'm here for." I leaned down and softly kissed Lila's forehead.

"I know." Lila leaned in closer, snuggling up against me. I wasn't sure how long Lila and I sat there, talking about everything and nothing. I hadn't had much time to just talk and think about life lately. I couldn't remember the last time I had really talked to someone, without feeling the need to hold back.

"It's so peaceful here," Lila said, breaking a comfortable silence between us. "I forget how quickly time passes when we're here." I quickly checked the time on my phone. 9 p.m. Two and a half hours had passed since we left Amelia's. I was surprised at how quickly the time had passed with Lila, just sitting and talking by the hot springs. It was almost like the hot springs was some kind of vortex, causing time to pass by while we stayed frozen, locked in the moment.

"Would you like me to walk you home?" I asked.

"That'd be much appreciated. Thanks," Lila replied. We finally broke apart and put on our shoes. We walked back towards Valancia, in a comfortable silence. The sun was just starting to set, a clear indication of just how much time Lila and I had spent at the hot springs.

"Where are you staying tonight?" I asked, once we were within the city limits.

"Israel."

"Any more plans for tonight? Or just chilling on your own again?" I asked, with a small smirk. Lila rolled her eyes at me, for throwing her own words back at her.

"Megan's staying over for the night."

"That sounds like fun." Lila simply shrugged.

"Like I said earlier, I feel like I don't even know Megan anymore. I'm just hoping this night won't be awkward."

"Let's be honest, you and awkward don't go together very well," I said, with a laugh. It made Lila smile for a second before her face turned somber again. "Got anything fun planned with Megan?"

"We might watch a couple movies. Nothing too fancy."

"Something light to take your mind off the Society?"

"Maybe. I'll probably let Megan choose the movies." As we approached the gates of the Israeli embassy, Lila pulled me in for a hug.

"Thanks for everything today, Alexei, especially taking the time to just talk. I enjoyed it," Lila said, looking up at me.

"Of course. It was my pleasure. I enjoyed it too," I replied earnestly. Lila smiled and snuggled in close to my chest. I put my arms around her, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear. I leaned down, so that my lips lightly brushed her ear.

"Good night, Lila. Sweet dreams," I whispered to her. I gently squeezed her then let go of her. Lila looked back at me longingly then headed over to the gates. She didn't say a word but kept her eyes locked with mine. I gave her one last wave then turned around, to head back home to my own embassy.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter should be up between Feb. 20 and Feb. 28. The next few weeks of my life are literally going to be insane, which is why the next chapter won't be up for a while.**

 **In case you were curious about what the life of a uni student is like, here's my schedule for the next few weeks:**

 **Jan. 31: Chemistry department awards night**

 **Feb. 1: Lab report due**

 **Feb. 2: Test (very thankful this prof put this test super early, although I am not having a fun time studying for it right now)**

 **Feb. 7: Lab report due**

 **Feb. 12: Test**

 **Feb. 13: Test**

 **Feb. 14: Test (although my prof in this class lets us skip tests without any penalties so I've already decided I'm not going to write this test)**

 **Feb. 15: Lab report due**

 **Feb. 18 – Feb. 24: Reading Week**

 **So I've got a crazy few weeks coming up that I am really not looking forward to! Hopefully, I'll have a bit of downtime during Reading Week to edit the next chapter and get it up on time. The next chapter is a rather infamous scene from the books (I'm sure you can all guess what it is). I really want to make sure I do a good job with that chapter and get Alexei's feelings right because it's such an important part of the story. Until then, thanks again for being patient with me and I'll see you all in a few weeks!**


	21. Chapter 21 - Breathe

**Hey guys, it's been a while! Hope you all had a good February. Mine was crazy busy with school but I survived and managed to make it past Reading Week. And now, I am getting ready to be thrown into a crazy March, but more on that later.**

 **As you may have guessed, this chapter is what I like to call "The Wall Scene". This was easily one of the hardest chapters to write and edit, not only in terms of Grace and Alexei's emotions but also how much Alexei knew about Grace's past. Nonetheless, I hope I got it somewhat accurate. If you're a Grace and Alexei shipper (use whichever ship name you prefer), then this chapter is for you! Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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Chapter Twenty-One: Breathe

As I headed back towards the Russian embassy, I passed Megan and Noah. They nodded at me as I passed by them but that was it. Both of them were oddly silent, yet, I couldn't help but notice how comfortable they looked in each other's presence. As far as I was concerned, there was definitely something going on between them.

Up ahead, I spotted a lone figure slowly walking. I couldn't tell who it was at first but they looked utterly alone, like they had no one left in the world. However, the evening sunlight reflected off them, allowing me to get a glimpse of who it was. Grace. Why she wasn't walking with Megan and Noah? Surely, the three of them were good friends, especially if Lila's speculations about them hanging out together were true. However, they looked like anything but friends right now. What could have happened between them to cause such a rift?

Grace didn't seem to notice as I slowly approached her. She barely even looked up as she walked, like she was completely oblivious to her surroundings. When we were almost right next to each other, I decided to make myself known.

"Hello, Gracie." She looked up, acknowledging my presence. A look of annoyance crossed her face, like I was the last person she wanted to see right now.

"Hello, Alexei," Grace replied, although it sounded extremely forced. What had happened between her, Megan, and Noah today, to make her look like she was not okay?

"And how are you today, Gracie?" I asked, in an attempt to get a conversation going. Grace suddenly stopped in her tracks, turning to face me.

"I love Jamie. That's why I let _him_ call me Gracie."

"I know," I said, with a smile. It was obvious how much Grace adored her brother; it would take an idiot not to notice that. It was also obvious how much Grace hated that nickname and only seemed to tolerate it if Jamie used it. However, I couldn't resist using her childhood nickname, not only because it fit her really well, but it was amusing and endearing to see her get annoyed at it.

" _You're not Jamie._ " I couldn't help but smile at Grace's weak attempt to insult me. Yes, I most clearly was not Jamie. However, I was the closest person she had to Jamie here. Did she really not realize that?

Grace continued walking, as if trying to distance herself from me again. However, I easily caught up to her, thanks to my longer strides. Soon, we were walking side by side, our steps synchronized.

"So where have you been keeping yourself?" I asked, in a subtle attempt to find out what she had been doing all this time. It would be nice to know where she always disappeared to, not just for Jamie's sake but for my own too.

"I live in that one," Grace said, pointing to the American embassy just down the street. I sighed. So much for subtlety. I probably wasn't going to get any answers until I asked her flat-out.

"What have you been doing?"

"I'm sorry," Grace said, suddenly spinning on me, "this concerns you _why_? And don't tell me it's because of some promise you made to Jamie. Jamie told you to keep me out of trouble. And I haven't been in any trouble." So according to her, the tree-planting ceremony, the scarf incident, or the break-in to the South Korean embassy didn't count as getting into trouble. Very interesting. I couldn't help but smirk at her definition of trouble. I hadn't realized it didn't include the minor disturbances most people would consider trouble.

" _As far as I know_ you haven't been in any trouble. But there's a lot I don't know, isn't there, Gracie?" Grace suddenly froze up and I knew I hit the nail on the head. There was a lot she was hiding from me, no doubt relating to her mysterious disappearances. For all I knew, she could have been robbing banks or investigating state secrets behind my back.

"Tell me what's going on," I said. She had to know that I was on to her, that I knew she was up to something.

"Nothing to tell."

"Hey!" I snapped, my emotional self-control vanishing, thanks to her blasé attitude. "I find you lying in the street in a ball gown, and you're so sick that I have to carry you home. And then … you disappear. You're never in the embassy when I come to see you –"

"You came to see me?" Grace sounded surprised by that. Well, someone had to check on her to make sure she was alright. After all, I needed to make sure that she was safe, so that Jamie wouldn't have to worry about his little sister and I could get some peace of mind.

"You don't go to events with your grandfather. You haven't even broken any bones as far as I can tell. So what's going on?" Grace suddenly stopped again, like she was contemplating my words. Had she finally decided to trust me? Or had she realized that she could only keep secrets for so long before someone found out? After all, this was Adria. No matter how hard or how long secrets were kept hidden, eventually, someone would start to notice that something was up and investigate.

"You scare me, Grace," I said honestly. It scared me how I had no idea what she was up to or that she could be wrapped up in so much trouble right now and I wouldn't be able to save her from it. More than anything, it scared me to admit how much Grace had changed due to her mother's death. She clearly wasn't the same little girl Jamie and I used to play with. She had seen too much, gone through too much, and it had effectively turned her life upside down.

"Yeah. Sometimes I scare me, too." We had reached the American embassy. Grace slowly stepped towards the gates, almost like she was daring me to follow her into enemy territory. I so desperately wanted to follow her, to chase after her, until she was safe in my arms and away from all those secrets she was keeping. However, there was nothing I could do to chase her demons away. It made me feel powerless, being unable to protect her from her nightmares. Even though I could easily protect her from bullets and knives, there was no way I could save her from her own mind. So instead of following her, I simply watched her as she headed further onto American soil.

"You know I'm here if you need me, don't you?" I called out, in a last-ditch attempt to gain her trust. Even if I didn't have the power to help her fight her demons, the least I could do was promise to be by her side, no matter what. I knew for a fact I would be there for her, forever and always. I cared about her too much to let her fight through this world alone.

"Be careful, Alexei. The world is a dangerous place." I stared after Grace as she walked into the American embassy, away from the things that were so obviously bothering her. What had happened between her, Megan, and Noah today? More importantly, what had she gotten so involved in, that was causing her such grief and keeping her out of the embassy all the time? However, awkwardly standing by the American embassy wasn't going to get me any answers. The only way to find out was to somehow pry the answers out of Grace, even though she did not seem willing to talk. No matter how much she resisted, I so desperately wanted to find out what was bothering her so much. If only she knew how much I wanted to help her. Maybe then she would finally let me in.

I turned around to head back to the Russian embassy, as it was starting to get late. My father was probably wondering where I was, especially since I hadn't checked my phone all evening. I turned on my phone, mildly surprised that there weren't any unread texts or missed calls from my father. However, I hoped this wasn't a sign that I would be walking into another lecture as soon as I got home.

I nodded at the guards as I walked through the gates. It was surprisingly bright as I walked into the embassy, which was unusual for this time of night. I made my way up the staircase, hearing a lot of chatter coming from one of the second-floor meeting rooms. Just as I reached the second-floor landing, Mikhail walked out of the meeting room that the chatter was coming from.

"I see you've finally made it back," Mikhail said, with a knowing half-smile.

"Yes, I was out longer than expected," I replied. "Is my father looking for me?" I glanced around, looking for any signs of my father.

"Not really," Mikhail said, his half-smile turning into a grin. "It's the ambassador's birthday." He nodded at the brightly lit, loud meeting room he had just exited. I had completely forgotten it was the ambassador's birthday. The embassy must have been hosting a party for him. I snuck a peek around Mikhail, into the meeting room. The tables were littered with various alcohol bottles and there was trash all over the floor.

I suddenly heard my father screaming loudly, like he was in the middle of telling a drunken story. He was slurring his words and I could imagine that he had had a few too many drinks tonight. I caught Mikhail's eye and he gave me a knowing look.

"Don't worry, Lyosha, your father's a bit preoccupied at the moment," Mikhail said, as he followed my gaze. "I think it's safe to say you're off the hook tonight."

"Thanks," I replied. "I was going to head up to my room and try to get some sleep."

"Of course. Have a good night," Mikhail said. He nodded at me, then headed down the stairs. I headed up to my room and closed the door. I sat down at my desk and pulled up YouTube on my laptop, as I wasn't feeling tired yet. However, after an hour of watching YouTube, it became clear that sleep wasn't going to come easily for me. It looked like I was going to be in for another late night. I closed the lid on my laptop and headed out of my room, hoping a late-night walk would tire me out. As I walked past the second-floor landing, I noticed that the party was still in full swing, with no signs of winding down. Suddenly, I saw a shadow behind me and momentarily froze on the stairs.

"Couldn't sleep?" I turned around to find Mikhail standing behind me. I sighed in relief, glad that it wasn't my father.

"Not really. I was just going to head out for a walk." Mikhail nodded in understanding.

"Go ahead. I'll deal with your father in case he asks about you," Mikhail said.

"Thank you," I replied, looking at him warmly. Mikhail nodded at me and I headed down the stairs. I was instantly hit with the cool night air as I walked towards the gates. I nodded at the guards, muttering a few words about how I was going out for a walk and shouldn't be out for too long. I picked a direction and started walking, taking the time to enjoy the cool night air and the dark sky. It was oddly refreshing and surprisingly calming, helping me clear my head. I found myself enjoying the peace and quiet.

However, the sound of quiet footsteps juxtaposed with heavy, ragged breathing caught my attention. I turned around and spotted a lone figure walking in the street, looking like they were in grave pain. As the figure passed under a street light, I horrifically realized it was Grace. What was she doing out so late, alone in the streets? And why did she look frenzied and panicked, like she did the night of the ball? A pit of déjà vu started forming in my stomach. I hoped that she could get help, instead of passing out, like the night of the ball.

I watched as she slowly walked past the American embassy, heading towards the Russian embassy. I was momentarily confused. Wouldn't it be best for her to head back home, where she would be safe? However, I realized what was happening when she started banging on our gates. Grace needed help that couldn't come from the American embassy and she needed it now. My mind went on autopilot and I acted on impulse. I sprinted towards her and reached her just as one of the guards started speaking to her in Russian, asking if she was okay and if she needed help.

"Alexei!" she screamed, her voice so full of pain and agony it broke my heart. "I need to see –"

"Grace," I said, making my presence known before I had to hear any more of her heart-breaking screams. She turned around to face me, shock written all over her face, perhaps from seeing me out on the streets so late at night. However, her surprise was nothing compared to the pain in her eyes, so evident that it was impossible not to see it. As she rushed towards me, my arms instantly went around her, providing her with a safe haven. For once, she didn't try to let go or slip out of my embrace, almost like she finally accepted that she needed a comforting gesture. She sank into my arms, like I was the only thing that could keep her grounded to this world. I was glad that I was finally able to help her and provide her with something that she so evidently needed.

I felt her hyperventilating in my arms, clearly still struggling to breathe. She was still in that horrible frenzied, panicked state and it didn't seem like she was going to calm down anytime soon. I gently cupped her face in my hands, gently tilting her face up until I was staring into her eyes, those beautiful brown eyes that were currently tormented by waves of pain. I looked right into her eyes, willing her to calm down.

"It's okay. You're going to be okay," I said, still staring into her eyes. I took her hands and pulled her away from the staring guard. He looked surprised and I couldn't tell if it was because I was back so early or because it was late at night and I was with a girl.

"I'll take care of this. Make sure no word of this gets out to the Russian or the American embassy," I said in Russian, giving the guard my best intimidating look. The guard just nodded in response, probably too tired or annoyed to really care.

I quickly started thinking of places I could take Grace, to calm her down. The hot springs were too far away, especially this late at night, and the tunnels were not an option. So I walked towards the back of the embassy and led her down a tiny alley, heading for the wall that surrounded the embassies. There was a small space between the walls of the Russian and American embassies. It was lined with stones, creating a perfect path for climbing up to the top of the wall. I always came here when I was younger and needed somewhere to go. It had been my safe haven when I needed to clear my head and was too young to leave the embassy on my own. I couldn't remember the last time I had been here but the walls were still familiar to me. The rough stones still jutted out from the walls in the exact same positions and I knew I could easily climb the wall with my eyes closed. I squeezed into the small space beside Grace, just barely able to fit with her.

"You need a leg up?" I asked, with a playful smile. My heart stared pounding, but I told myself it was just the adrenaline rush from trying not to get caught climbing the walls and not from being in close quarters with such a beautiful but tormented girl.

"See you at the top," Grace said. She started climbing up, barely giving me a second glance. I smiled to myself, as I followed her up. By the time I reached the top, Grace was already sitting on the wall, gripping its edge. I settled down next to her, dangling one leg over the edge of the wall and placing the other at her back, almost as if I was protecting her. It took all I had in me not to scoot closer to her, to pull her close and wrap my arms around her. However, if I sat any closer to her, it would have raised some red flags, in both the Russian and the American embassies. Nonetheless, I couldn't stop myself from leaning forward, to close the distance between us without actually touching.

"Grace, breathe," I said. I leaned down so I could stare into her eyes, willing her to calm down and breathe. To my surprise, she closed her eyes and breathed in the cool night air, in deep, even breaths.

"Just so you know, you don't have to tell me what's going on," I told her. She jumped slightly, almost like she had forgotten about my presence. "You don't have to say a thing. You just have to sit here. And breathe." Before, I would have loved to get some answers out of her and find out what she had been up to. However, after seeing the pain and anguish in her eyes, I realized there was no way she could talk about what she was going through, not without going into that frenzied, panicked state again. So I decided I was content to stay quiet and watch her breathe.

She visibly relaxed with each breath she took, like her troubles were slowly floating away. I was unaware of how long we sat there in silence, her breathing, me watching her. I could feel myself calming down too, sitting up here with nothing but the sound of the ocean and the cool night air. When Grace finally spoke, it was almost like the wind had conjured her words out of thin air.

"My grandfather hates me. Did you know that? Is that in the Russian daily briefings? Well, he does. Really. He hates me."

"Your grandfather adores you." I was surprised by what Grace said. Her grandfather did not hate her. Maybe he was disappointed in her, based on her recent behaviour, but he did not hate her. When I had brought her back to the American embassy the night of the ball, it was so evident that Ambassador Vincent cared about her.

"He used to. When I was little. And cute. I used to be cute once – not that you'd remember." Contrary to what she said, I did remember what Grace was like when she was younger. She was such an adorable, innocent, lovable little girl.

"He called you Snowball," I said, with a laugh. An image of a younger Grace, with pale platinum blonde hair, so blonde it was almost white, suddenly popped into my head. I wasn't quite sure where that memory had come from but looking back, I remembered how she used to chase after me and Jamie because she always wanted to join our games. Suddenly, Grace tensed up, like something had disturbed her.

"Grace, breathe. All you have to do is breathe." That was all I wanted for her in this moment, to calm down and forget about her troubles. However, she didn't seem like she was calming down this time.

"Tell me something," I said, in an effort to distract her from her thoughts. "About you. About the past three years. Tell me what I've missed."

"My mother died." Something about her tone of voice caught me off-guard. I was hoping to hear about how much her life had changed over the past three years. Perhaps some exciting details, like new friends she had made or cool bands she had discovered. But instead, I just got a reiteration of a statement that I had heard way too many times over the past three years.

"I know," I replied, looking out at the sea. "I wanted to go to the funeral, but my father said it wasn't appropriate. I should have been there. I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I wasn't there either." Jamie told me that Grace had to spend some time in the hospital after their mother died. I always assumed she was in a normal hospital, getting treated for physical injuries after being caught in the tragic fire that killed her mother. Nonetheless, there had been so many rumours, Grace being trapped in a mental hospital one of them. At first glance, Grace didn't seem crazy enough to be put in a mental hospital. Yet, seeing her in that frenzied, panicked state, screaming things that didn't make any sense, was enough to make me second-guess her sanity. Was it possible Grace had spent some time in a mental hospital, as much as I didn't want to believe that? Honestly, I wasn't sure what to believe anymore, especially with the way her family had kept everything so quiet. Still, I knew that I wasn't going to get any definitive answers unless they were from Grace herself.

I looked down at her, noticing how she lightly touched her wrists. She looked like she was still in pain, suffering from whatever was going on in her head. She was far too quiet, which was starting to concern me.

"Grace?" I tentatively asked, breaking the deafening silence that had almost become too much to bear.

"I saw the man who killed my mother. He's here. I talked to him." I hadn't been expecting her to say anything. However, that was something, even if it was something small. Grace was full of secrets that she was no doubt used to hiding. Yet, with what she had just told me, the surface of her solid stone walls had finally started to crack.

"And he's going to do it again," Grace whispered, ever so softly, that I almost didn't hear her over the night breeze. However, I heard something different, a sincerity and strong belief in her words that wasn't there before. It was only then that I realized just how much was haunting Grace and how much she needed someone to confide in and lean on. I shifted so that I was leaning forward. I braced my hands on her back, as if I was showing her that I would be the support she needed.

"And you discussed this with your grandfather?" Grace merely shook her head.

"He doesn't believe me. But I heard it, Alexei. I swear. I saw him. And I heard him. And I –"

"I believe you." I cut her off before she could finish, before she felt the need to explain herself again. For a second, I saw the doubt written all over her face, which quickly turned to surprise. She clearly hadn't expected anyone to believe her, especially me. Maybe her friends didn't trust her anymore and her family stopped believing in her long ago, but I was going to be that person she could lean on, no matter how much my father or her grandfather tried to stop me. She clearly needed someone to believe in her, even if that someone was me. My simple reassurance of my faith in her must have been enough to restore her belief in herself, as she started talking and just kept talking. It was like I had finally removed the brick that caused all the walls around her to come crashing down.

I learned that she, in fact, did know about the tunnels and that she truly believed there was a man with a scar who had murdered her mother and would kill again. I learned about how she stalked that man throughout the underground tunnels, only to end up in the basement of the American embassy. I realized she had gone into that frenzied, panicked state this evening, from coming face to face with that very same man out on the street. That man just so happened to be Dominic Novak, the prime minister's head of security.

When she finished talking, she simply stared out at the calm, rolling waves of the sea. I took a moment to take her in. She looked so vulnerable, yet, so resilient and strong. She had been through so much, more than I ever could have imagined, which I had to admire her for. It couldn't have been easy for her to keep all those secrets and burdens locked away for so long.

"You should have told me," I said.

"You wouldn't have believed me," Grace replied. I heard the crack in her voice, showing just how broken she must have been. She so desperately wanted someone to believe in her, even just once. And I was going to be that person who believed in her, so that she could start to believe in herself.

"Yes, I would have. And then you wouldn't have been on your own." A spark of hope flashed across Grace's eyes, as if she was hit with a sudden realization. It quickly turned to uncertainty, followed by indecision before she started talking again. She talked about what her, Megan, Noah, and Rosie had been up to all this time. It turned out they had been trying to track Dominic, first to prove that he actually existed. Then, they continued tracking him to find any bit of evidence, no matter how small, that would show he had killed Grace's mother and that he would kill again. Apparently, it had actually been going pretty well, until Noah found out that Grace had lied about accusing other scarred men in the past.

"Now, not even they believe me," Grace sniffed, wiping her nose on her sleeve. It broke my heart to see her crying over her friends. She shouldn't have to go through friend drama, not with all the secrets she was already hiding.

"Listen to me, Grace. Listen to me," I said slowly, to emphasize my point. "You don't talk to Dominic again. You don't go in the tunnels by yourself. You don't go anywhere by yourself. Do you hear me? You're going to be careful. And you're going to include me."

"I –"

"No, Grace. You don't get to be stubborn this time. This time you have to be safe. Okay?" Now that I knew exactly what she was up to, I would be able to protect her. I would always be by her side through whatever crazy adventures she decided to go on.

"Okay."

"From now on, we're a team. Right?" I looked down at her, hoping she'd agree. Her hair blew across her face and I couldn't stop myself from reaching out and tucking a piece of it behind her ear. That slight bit of contact was enough to send a tingle up my arm.

"Right."

"Now, come on." I started scooting back, towards the part of the wall that we climbed up. "I guess I should walk you home." It must have been past midnight. It wouldn't be good for either of us to get home late, especially if my father or her grandfather was still up.

When we reached the American embassy gates, I found myself standing close to Grace, closer than I ever had. Normally, I wouldn't dare to stand this close to her but our talk had changed everything. It had brought us closer together, closer than we had ever been. It was like a different side of her had been revealed, a side I had never seen until today. She was no longer my best friend's kid sister but my equal.

Her back was against the gate and I couldn't stop myself from imagining what it would be like to push her up against the gate and kiss her. I couldn't tell if she was thinking the same thing, as she looked up at me with weary eyes. Yet, with that one glance, I could tell that everything had changed between us tonight. And for once, I think it had finally changed for the better.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **I'm not too sure when I'll be able to get the next chapter up. I'm aiming for Mar. 10 to Mar. 18 but if it's not up by that time, it'll be up between Mar. 22 to Mar. 31. I swear, life as a uni student is literally a never-ending pile of stuff to do. Here's the craziness that is my March:**

 **Mar. 7: Test and lab report due (of course, it had to be in the same subject)**

 **Mar. 8: Lab report due**

 **Mar. 9: Test**

 **Mar. 13: Assignment due (luckily, it doesn't seem too hard since it's just solving problems for one of my chill science electives)**

 **Mar. 14: Lab report due**

 **Mar. 15: Paper due (which is worth 15% of my grade and I have barely started thinking about it)**

 **Mar. 21: Test**

 **Mar. 22: Lab report due**

 **Mar. 28: Lab report due**

 **Mar. 29: Lab exam**

 **The next chapter seems like a pretty easy edit so hopefully, it'll be up sooner rather than later (but don't get your hopes up too much). Thanks again for being patient with me!**


	22. Chapter 22 - The G-20 Is Coming to Town

**To the guest who reviewed on the previous chapter: Glad you enjoyed the chapter! That was just the start of many more Gralexei scenes to come ;)**

 **Hey everyone, it's been a while! Thanks again for being patient with me. My March ended up being way crazier than I ever could have imagined, with my deadlines being shifted all over the place and a ton of personal things going on. But all my March deadlines are done with and now I just have to study for finals (more on that later).**

 **Now, we're in what I consider to be the last part of the book, where all the G-20 stuff happens. I'm trying my best to remain faithful to the book although I've got a few G-20 surprises of my own up my sleeve. Enjoy this start to all the G-20 craziness!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty Two: The G-20 Is Coming to Town

"Alexei." I turned to the sound of the voice calling my name. I saw my father quickly approaching me, although for once, he didn't look angry with me. "Heading out?"

"Yes, I was going to grab lunch with Tanner and Jordan," I replied. The somewhat happy look on my father's face fell slightly.

"Although I can always catch up with them later," I quickly said, which seemed to appease my father.

"Good. There's an embassy wide meeting right now and I expect you to be there." My father started walking, an automatic sign that I was to follow him. It looked like hanging out with Tanner and Jordan would have to wait until later.

"An embassy wide meeting? What for?" Normally, those only happened if there was an emergency or international crisis, although I had a sneaking suspicion of the reason for the meeting.

"The G-20 summit coming up this week," my father said, a hint of a rare smile on his face. "The meeting right now is to let everyone know what is happening and when certain events will take place." I nodded in understanding.

We soon reached the large gala hall, where all the formal events and embassy-wide meetings were held. I automatically held the door open for my father, just as he had raised me. He surprised me, by nodding his thanks and smiling at me. I was momentarily taken aback, as I wasn't used to such kindness from my father. I was seriously starting to wonder if my father was still drunk from last night because I couldn't think of another way to explain why he was being so nice to me.

"Help yourself," my father said, gesturing to the tables of food set up around the room. With another smile, he left me, heading up to the front of the room where there was a screen with a microphone stand set up. I grabbed some sandwiches and fruit from the tables of food then sat down at an empty table, to text Tanner and Jordan about meeting up later. As usual, Tanner sent a barrage of texts, making my phone vibrate non-stop.

"Hot date blowing up your phone?" I looked up to see Mikhail sitting down next to me, along with a couple other staff members.

"No, it's just Tanner," I replied, silencing my phone before Tanner could send yet another text. "You know how he is with his texts." Mikhail nodded in understanding, a slight smirk on his face.

"You alright after being unable to sleep last night?" Mikhail asked, taking on a more serious facial expression.

"Yes," I lied. In reality, I was exhausted from comforting both Lila and Grace. As much as I wanted to be the person that Lila and Grace could trust, I felt slightly emotionally drained, from bearing the weight of their problems. However, both of them were clearly going through trying times and needed someone by their sides. Lila, with the weight of the Society and their secrets on her shoulders and Grace, with thoughts of murderers and demons swirling through her head. There was no way I would give up on either of them; I would rather die before I let that happen. I was just going to have to suck it up and take it like a man. And that was in addition to dealing with my own problems.

Like Grace. Last night had left me feeling more conflicted than ever about my feelings for her. It had been one of the most exhilarating but terrifying nights of my life. I loved sitting with Grace, just the two of us facing the ocean. Yet, as much as I didn't want to admit it, it scared me to see Grace so fragile and broken. I had tried my hardest to comfort her but I wasn't sure if it had been enough.

"Are you sure?" Mikhail asked, giving me a concerned look. I suddenly panicked, wondering if Grace and I had been visible on the wall last night. If anyone in the American or Russian embassies had seen us, besides the guard at the Russian gates, there was no telling how much trouble we'd be in. I knew my father would quite literally be at my throat if he knew I had been out late with Grace. I was sure her grandfather wouldn't be too happy about that either.

"Positive," I lied again, forcing a smile. Mikhail gave me a questioning look but mercifully, didn't say anything else, especially as the lights slowly dimmed. I turned my attention to the front of the room, where my father and the ambassador were standing by the microphone stand. The screen was displaying the title slide of a PowerPoint presentation about the G-20 summit.

I listened as my father and the ambassador talked about the G-20 summit and the various events that would be happening over the next few days. There was to be a semi-formal party at the American embassy, a formal dinner and dance at the palace, and a grand finale in the park, complete with fireworks, among other events. Everyone would definitely be busy for the next few days.

After the presentation ended, I tried to leave as quickly as possible, without looking rude. However, I was quickly pulled aside by my father.

"Thank you for coming to this meeting, Alexei. I know it was really sudden notice," my father said. Something was definitely up with him. I had the feeling there was something else he wanted to talk to me about, especially since my father was the type to jump straight to the point.

"It wasn't an issue," I replied, trying my best not to sound weirded out. My father simply nodded before switching gears.

"Anyways, I noticed you haven't been spending as much time with the American girl," my father stated.

"Of course, as per your wishes," I lied smoothly. "After spending some time thinking about it, I realized that you were right and that she isn't good for me."

"Good." My father nodded in approval. "I'm going to assume you have cut all contact with her."

"Yes. I have not spoken to her or been in contact with her since the night of the ball."

"And you have no intentions of speaking to her again?" My father raised an eyebrow at me.

"Yes. I don't speak to Grace." If only my father knew just how much time I had spent with Grace last night. There was no telling how brutal my punishment would be if he did find out.

"Good. I trust that you're telling the truth and not just saying things for my benefit?"

"Of course." I gave him my best friendly smile, hoping it'd be enough to hide my guilt.

"I'll take your word for it. However, I suppose we'll see if you're really telling the truth." A sly grin made its way onto my father's face. "As you may recall from the presentation, the American embassy is hosting a party for the American President and the First Lady in two days' time. The American ambassador has requested our presence at the party. The ambassador and I will be attending and as my son, I am expecting you to attend as well." My stomach dropped. This was not going to end well. Now, it would be even harder to keep my distance from Grace, especially after our talk last night.

"I look forward to attending that event with you." I tried my best not to sound guilty or suspicious.

"Good. I trust that you will be on your best behaviour, as usual." I merely nodded in response, afraid that if I said anything else, it would be painfully obvious that I had, in fact, been in contact with Grace.

Luckily, it looked like a lot of the other embassy staff members wanted to speak to my father. He diverted his attention to them, allowing me to slip away. I quickly texted my father, letting him know that I'd be out and should hopefully be back for dinner. I hoped he would see it later and not get angry with me for leaving the meeting so suddenly. Yet, given how strangely nice my father had been to me today, I doubted he would mind if I left.

I walked out of the Russian gates and started heading towards downtown Valancia. I was about to text Tanner and Jordan to meet up when I heard a voice calling my name.

"Alexei?" I turned around to find Megan coming out of the American embassy gates. I gave her a friendly smile as I stopped, waiting for her to catch up.

"How's your summer going?" I asked, once she had caught up to me. I slowed my pace to match hers, as we headed towards downtown Valancia. It didn't take us long to reach Valancia's main downtown square, where we sat down on one of the many benches.

"Hectic, insane, stressful, basically everything I thought it wouldn't be," Megan said. She looked frazzled, like she had way too much going on. "You?"

"I could probably say the same," I replied, a slight smirk on my face. "That's all thanks to Grace."

"Tell me about it!" Megan exclaimed, rolling her eyes. "You won't believe the number of crazy things I've done this summer, just because of Grace." Well, she wasn't the only one.

"Speaking of Grace, are you on speaking terms with her?"

"Kinda, why?" Megan's face took on a suspicious look.

"I ran into her last night and she was pretty scared that she had lost all her friends."

"You mean me, Noah, and Rosie?" I simply nodded in response. It took Megan a second to realize the implications of what I had said.

"Wait, Grace told you what happened?"

"Yes, all of it. I ran into Grace after she was heading home yesterday, from hanging out with you guys. Then, when I was out for a late-night walk, I found her freaking out in the street. I stayed with her, to calm her down. She ended up telling me everything."

"So you know? About the Scarred Man, or should I say, Scarred Men?"

"Yes. I also know about all of your attempts to incriminate him. Like I told Grace, you guys really should have come to me for help."

"And how much help could you possibly have been? No offense, but you probably would have vetoed all our attempts to get info on the Scarred Man."

"Which is exactly why you should have come to me, so you could logically and reasonably find out Dominic's motives, without resorting to breaking and entering." I gave Megan a pointed look, raising an eyebrow at her. She simply sighed.

"Let me guess, Grace told you that too?"

"Yes. And Noah posted a rather interesting picture on Snapchat." Megan's face shifted from alarmed to angered to exasperated in a matter of seconds.

"Please don't tell me we're thinking about the same picture," Megan said warily.

"I'll let you have a look." I pulled up my group chat with Tanner and Jordan, scrolling up to the texts from two nights ago. I found the picture Tanner had sent, with the accompanying text " _damn bro ur girl is up 2 some shady shit"_. It was a selfie captioned " _T-minus 10 minutes until showtime_ " with a nervous-looking emoji. Noah was nervously glancing at the camera, although his attention was focused on what was going on behind him. The shot encompassed the inside of a car littered with sketchy-looking equipment. It was dimly lit by the overhead car light and a number of flashlights. However, it was still easy to see Megan, Grace, and Rosie all decked out in black as they looked at an intricate sketch.

"Damn it, I _told_ him not to post that _and_ made him delete it from his Story." Megan looked like she was ready to murder someone. For a second, I was almost scared of her.

"But not before Tanner screenshotted it and sent it to me and Jordan." Megan sighed again.

"Of course, Tanner would have screenshotted it in the two minutes that Snap was up. Anytime I post something to my Story, he's almost always the first one to view it. So much for leaving no evidence of that."

"Which is why you really shouldn't have broken into Dominic's house in the first place."

"What? Are you going to sue me for creativity?" Megan gave me a defiant look in return.

"Well, breaking and entering is illegal, for one."  
"Gee, thanks, Captain Obvious," Megan retorted. I couldn't help but laugh in amusement.

"In all seriousness, what's up?" I asked.

"Grace and I just talked to Ms. Chancellor and things aren't looking good. The G-20 summit is coming up and the American embassy is hosting this huge party for the American President and the First Lady," Megan said. I nodded, recalling how my father had told me about that party earlier. "And we think the Scarred Man's gonna be there." It took me a second to realize the implications of what she said.

"You think he's going to attack the American President and the First Lady?"

"I'm not sure. Grace has reason to believe he was meeting someone in our embassy to discuss murder plans." That sounded eerily similar to the conversation I had overheard in the basement of the Russian embassy. I wondered if the two were connected.

"Could he have been making plans with someone in the American embassy, to figure out the best way to attack the American President and the First Lady?"

"At this point. I think anything's possible. I just hope we can figure out what the Scarred Man wants, before it's too late," Megan said forlornly.

"Face it, you, Noah, Rosie, and Grace could really use some help."

"Okay, fine. Maybe we do need some help," Megan admitted, with a defeated sigh. "It's just, the more people who get involved, the harder it is to keep it a secret, you know?"

"Of course. I understand. You know I'll take this to my grave." Megan looked like she didn't really believe me but I gave her a reassuring nod. If she wanted my help, I wouldn't let her down. "Anyways, how can I help with whatever it is you're doing?" Megan hesitated before answering.

"To be honest, I don't even know what's happening anymore," she said, looking down.

"And I bet it has to do Grace blaming all the other Scarred Men," I stated.

"Yeah," Megan said, not meeting my eyes. "I mean, sure, it was kind of attention-seeking of Grace to do that but I didn't think it was a big deal. Noah was _pissed_ though _._ And you know how Noah never gets angry. He seemed personally offended by it or something, even though it had nothing to do with him."

"Have you tried talking to him?"

"Are you kidding me? Noah refuses to talk about it. This whole thing with Grace is clearly hurting him but he refuses to talk when I ask him about it. He just acts like everything is totally fine." According to Lila, that was typical guy behaviour. I only knew that because she had accused me of it on more than one occasion.

"Want me to try talking to him?" I offered.

"What makes you think that Noah will talk to you?" Megan deadpanned.

"In case you haven't noticed, I have a way of getting people to talk," I said with a smirk, causing Megan to roll her eyes.

"No kidding. I swear, all the embassy kids treat you like a freaking god. But in all seriousness, it'd be nice if you could get Noah to talk. I kinda hate this awkward tension between us."

"I'll see what I can do. Maybe a little guy talk will get him to open up."

"Hopefully," Megan said absentmindedly. A brief silence fell between us, before Megan spoke up again.

"In a way, I almost feel like it's my fault this all happened." I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "I was digging through the embassy's security records, trying to find more info on the Scarred Man. I didn't find much on him but I did find those records of the other Scarred Men."

"And that one file somehow ended up causing so much trouble."

"I didn't know; I swear on my life. I was only trying to help. When I found that file, I didn't know what to think of it but I knew something was up. I tried to keep everyone from seeing it but Noah wouldn't have it."

"You wouldn't have known what Noah's reaction would be."

"That's true. Maybe if I hadn't done so much digging, none of this would have happened in the first place." Megan sadly looked out at the city square. I followed her gaze, taking in all the happy tourists. They seemed so far away from us, with our world of problems.

"Well, this isn't the end, is it?" I asked, breaking the silence.

"I sure hope not," Megan replied, not looking at me. "The summer has only just started; I don't want it to be so miserable already."

"You aren't alone there," I said, my father's threats echoing in my head. Megan nodded before pulling out her phone.

"I figured I'd show you this since we're here," Megan said, handing me her phone. I glanced down at the picture on her phone. I scrolled around, trying to figure out what it was.

"It's a blueprint of the party hall in the American embassy and all the hallways and secret passages leading to it," Megan clarified. "Before everything turned to shit, I was going to get Grace, Noah, and Rosie to help me secure the area."

"Secure the area?" I echoed, raising an eyebrow at Megan.

"You know, put a few booby traps down, set a few discrete alarms so we'd know if anyone left to do anything sketchy. Although I'm not quite sure how I'd pull it off now, especially with the lack of support."

"I could bring friends. I'm sure Tanner and Jordan would be down to help."

"Are they really going to be of much help?" Megan looked at me skeptically.

"Trust me, they'll help. Even if they don't cooperate, I'll find a way to make them." Megan gave me a weird look but didn't say anything else.

"Anyways, I still gotta figure out how I'm gonna get this all sorted out. I have a rough idea of how I want to secure the party hall but I'm not sure how well I'll be able to execute it."

"I think that's where I come in," I replied, a small smile on my face. "You have all the necessary equipment, right?" Megan simply nodded. "I can help you figure out where to set it all up so that every corner is secure. If we took tomorrow to plan this all out, we can spend the afternoon of the party setting it all up, assuming you can figure out a way to get past security so they won't see us."

"On it. That sounds like a good idea to me," Megan said. She hesitated, like she wanted to say something more.

"Cat got your tongue?" I asked playfully. Megan was quiet for a moment before she spoke.

"Alexei, why are you doing this?"

"Doing what?"

"Helping me catch the Scarred Man."

"I could be asking you the same thing. I thought you didn't like Grace but now you're suddenly helping her?"

"I kinda feel sorry for her, you know? I mean, it must have been hard for her to see all these things and have no one believe her. I can't imagine how lonely she must have felt at times."

"I'd have to agree with you there." Megan regarded me curiously.

"What?" I asked, suddenly feeling very self-conscious.

"You like her, don't you?"

"What do you mean? Of course I like Grace, she's a great friend, she –"

"I meant, _like_ like. You have a crush on her, don't you? Tanner and Jordan weren't kidding when they said you liked her?" I couldn't help but sigh in response. Was it seriously that obvious I had feelings for Grace?

"Hey, it's totally cool if you like her," Megan said, in an obvious attempt to comfort me.

"Maybe I do care about Grace a bit." Megan raised her eyebrows at me, as if she didn't believe me.

"Okay fine, I care about her a lot. Happy?" I said, feeling slightly exasperated. This wasn't good if everyone somehow noticed I had feelings for Grace. I didn't need that getting out to my father.

"Geez, what is it with guys being unable to acknowledge their feelings?" Megan muttered. "But in all seriousness, I think you'd be good for Grace." Now it was my turn to raise my eyebrows at Megan.

"She just seems so lost all the time, you know? Like lost inside her thoughts and whatever else goes on inside her head. You seem to have a grounding effect on her. I heard about what happened to Grace, the night of the ball."

"You did?"

"Yeah, I found out from my mom. Then, Grace and Noah approached me, asking if I could hack into the security tapes from the night of the ball. That's how I got involved in this whole Scarred Man mess."

"Then how about we get ourselves out of this mess and start our plan of attack on the party hall?" Megan simply looked at me, a coy smile on her face.

"That, I think we can do."

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Apr. 17 and Apr. 24.**

 **I've got finals coming up in a week (eek!); they're on Apr. 9, 10, 11, and 13. I'm seriously annoyed that my finals are so close together at the start of the exam period (gonna thank uni administration for doing a great job at creating the exam schedule this semester because a bunch of my friends also have their finals really close together at the start of the exam period). However, my prof for the final on the 13** **th** **is giving us the option of writing on the 16** **th** **so I'm seriously considering writing that one later.**

 **In any case, I should be done by mid-April, which means I'll really be able to focus my time and energy on fanfiction again (yay!). So you shouldn't have to wait a full month for new chapters anymore (at least for the remainder of Falling for You). Thanks for putting up with all that for the past few months and hopefully I'll be back sooner with the next chapter!**


	23. Chapter 23 - Trapped

**To the guest who left a review on the previous chapter: Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Hope you enjoy all the summit chapters that are coming up!**

 **Hey everyone! I hope your April has been going well. Finals were not fun (especially my three finals on three consecutive days) but I think they went much better than last semester. Though I'm glad to be done with finals and now I've got a bit more time to focus on fanfiction (more on that later).**

 **Anyways, this chapter was a ton of fun to write. I did a fair bit of research for it (hoping that's not going to raise some eyebrows with my Internet service provider) and I'm quite happy with how it turned out. Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Three: Trapped

"I better not regret this, bruh," Tanner said, as the three of us waited for Megan to sneak us into the American embassy. We were standing by the small alley in the wall between the Russian and American embassies. This also just so happened to be the place where Grace and I had that conversation the other night. I had a feeling that whenever I came to this spot, I was going to be reminded of Grace and everything we had talked about.

"Trust me, you won't. I thought you would have been a lot more enthusiastic about this," I replied.

"That's because I thought we'd be sneaking you into the American embassy so you could get it on with your girl, not set up booby traps!" Jordan exclaimed.

"Hey, I'm doing this to help Grace," I snapped, a little too harshly.

"Honestly, you don't seem like the type to go for girls with emotional baggage," Jordan said. I hadn't told Tanner and Jordan everything that Grace had told me but I figured they knew enough to know that Grace had some issues.

"But then again, you sure do seem to be getting a kick out of the whole 'knight in shining armour' role," Tanner added. I glared at them for their comments. Luckily, Megan walked up to us at that moment, giving us the go ahead. The three of us snuck through the space in the wall, walking onto American territory.

"Hey, glad you could make it," Megan said. "Thanks again for helping."

"I'd just like to point out that Jordan and I didn't really have much of a choice, as we were pretty much forced into this by a certain Russian," Tanner said. A small smile crept onto Megan's face before she turned serious again, with an expression I recognized as her game face.

"Come on, we don't have much time," Megan said, quickly checking a timer on her phone. "We've only got two minutes before a security guard's going to come and start patrolling this back area."

"A couple minutes to get from here all the way over there?" Tanner asked meekly, as he took in the long, open, grassy path from where we were standing to the back doors of the American embassy.

"One minute, fifty-five seconds," Megan said, matter-of-factly. "We need to move." She turned around and started jogging towards the back of the embassy. The three of us followed her, although I soon out-paced everyone. I reached the back of the embassy first, barely having broken a sweat. Megan didn't look worn out either. Tanner and Jordan were slightly out of breath by the time they reached the back doors but other than that, they looked fine.

"See, that wasn't so bad," I said, a smirk on my face.

"Says the one who got here first," Jordan said, giving me a dirty look.

"What? It wasn't that long or hard of a run," I replied honestly.

"Show-off," Tanner muttered.

"Looks like my father was finally good for something," I commented, shuddering at the memories of my father making me run laps as a child.

"Besides turning you into a heartless, emotionless demon?" Jordan quipped. Tanner burst out laughing while I just glared at them.

"Are you boys just going to stand there all day and talk nonsense?" Megan asked, assuming a bossy, authoritative air. "Because we've got a huge party hall to secure and only a few hours until the party." That quickly shut us up. We followed Megan through deserted hallways and secret passages, until we ended up on the balcony of the party hall. A door slowly creaked open.

"Finally," Noah said, as he and Rosie walked out of the door. "We were starting to think your backup wasn't going to show up."

"It took us a while but we all got here in one piece," Megan said, giving Tanner, Jordan, and I a pointed look. Noah looked up, visibly surprised to see the three of us.

"Shit, I didn't realize you were getting these three as your backup," Noah said. "Aren't you not allowed to be here, Alexei?"

"I could be asking myself the same thing," I replied, wondering if it had really been a good idea to help Megan. If I got caught trespassing in the American embassy, I would be in so much trouble. There probably wouldn't be an end to my father's lectures.

"Anyways, we've got a lot to do and not a lot of time to do it," Megan said, focusing our attention to the current task at hand. She quickly explained the plans and the set-up that I had discussed with her yesterday.

"Everyone got it?" Megan asked, after she finished explaining. She looked at each of us expectantly.

"Geez, if I had known Alexei was signing me up for this, I would have backed out right then and there," Jordan said.

"Same here," Noah said in agreement. "I really should have just stayed home." He looked like he really didn't want to be here.

"Alright, can you boys quit your bitching?" Megan exclaimed, sounding very Lila-like. "You all agreed to help out –"

"I didn't exactly agree to help you," Noah interrupted, looking at Megan darkly.

"We made a deal, remember?" Megan said, returning Noah's dark look. "Now if you'd like to go home and suffer the consequences, that's fine by me." Noah just sighed, looking defeated.

"Good," Megan continued. "Now that you're all here, you should all be doing something, instead of standing around and complaining."

"Hey, like I said earlier –" Tanner started, before he was cut off by a death glare from Megan.

"Fine, boss. Tell us what to do," Tanner said, holding up his hands in defeat. Megan eyed him for a few seconds before dividing up the tasks. Before long, the six of us were busy running around the party hall, setting up the necessary booby traps, security cameras, and barricades, all while avoiding the security guards who consistently wandered in and out of the room.

"Hey, Alexei, you mind helping me set this up?" I turned around to find Noah standing next to me, holding a roll of fishing wire.

"Not at all," I replied.

"Cool. Megan told me to put this by the door leading to one of the secret passages. Apparently, we're in charge of setting up all the traps for that door," Noah said. He started walking towards one of the doors on the balcony. I followed him and noticed Megan standing in the corner, seemingly preoccupied with her phone. However, as she looked up at me, a knowing smile on her face, I realized she purposely sent Noah to ask for my help so that I could get him to talk. I sighed, mentally kicking myself for falling into Megan's trap. Nonetheless, I followed Noah through the massive party hall.

"So, this is the door," I said, as Noah and I approached a lone door tucked away behind a large potted plant.

"Yup, this is it. The door that's getting booby-trapped and barricaded to no end," Noah said, as he pushed it open, revealing a plethora of supplies. As Megan had explained, every door on the balcony would have a security guard standing next to it. Well, every door except this one. Supposedly, this door led to a secret passage that only a few of the executive embassy staff knew about. How Megan knew about this door was beyond me, although I bet her hacking into the embassy file systems and finding the embassy blueprints had a lot to do with it.

"Barricades first, right?" Noah asked, as he glanced at the massive pile of supplies.

"Yup," I replied, recalling the plans Megan and I had made yesterday. "We'll start with the boards all across the door." Noah was happy to follow my lead as we hammered wooden boards across the door. Next, we jammed a bunch of rubber door stop wedges into the space at the bottom of the door, as well as a few around the doorknob. We hammered them in to make sure they'd stay put for the duration of the night.

"Are we done yet?" Noah asked, as we hammered the last wedge into place. He looked up at the door that was now surrounded by boards and rubber door stop wedges.

"Not even close," I said, with a sigh. "We still need to set up all the traps."

"Damn it. I really hope there won't be any more hammering because my poor thumb can't take it anymore." I nodded in agreement. Hammering all the barricades into place had taken a lot longer than we anticipated. I was already a bit worn out and hoped the traps wouldn't take too long to set up.

Noah and I quickly got to work setting up a couple of basic trip wire alarms, the first lines of defence, by taping fishing wire across the bottom of the doorway. Simple but effective. Next, we taped a small keychain alarm to the top of the door and connected the alarm to a small hook above the door using fishing wire.

"What's this?" Noah asked curiously, picking up a small, taped-up package.

"I'd be careful with that if I were you. I think that's an explosive tripwire alarm," I said, recalling all the alarms that Megan and I had thought up yesterday. Noah practically jumped, immediately dropping the tripwire alarm back on the floor.

"And you're telling me Megan made that," Noah said incredulously.

"I wouldn't underestimate her if I were you. She made or procured everything here," I said, looking around at the pile of supplies and pre-built alarm traps.

"And here I thought she was just another pretty face," Noah muttered. I smiled to myself, wondering if Noah returned Megan's feelings.

"So Megan mentioned earlier that you made a deal with her."

"It's a long story, bro."

"What, did you make a deal with the devil or something?" I joked.

"Well, considering how Megan can be sometimes, I'd say so." That honestly didn't surprise me.

"Damn, what did you do?" Noah hesitated before sighing.

"Honestly, I don't even know why I'm telling you this. If this gets out, Megan will be at my throat." He paused for a second. "Come to think of it, so would Lila."

"That bad?" I raised an eyebrow at him.

"Yeah, kind of," Noah said, a nervous look on his face. He took a deep breath before continuing. "The other night, I asked Lila if I could borrow her laptop since mine was installing updates and it was literally taking forever. She said it was fine because she and Megan were watching a movie in the lounge and she wasn't using it at the moment. So I took Lila's laptop to my room and started using it. Everything was fine until some crazy warning popped up and the laptop started going berserk."

"Malware?"

"Honestly, I had no idea. The laptop was just going apeshit, There were programs installing on their own and popups coming out of nowhere."

"Geez, what kind of porno sites did you go on?" I joked. Noah gave me a dirty look.

"I swear I wasn't doing anything sketchy. I was just trying to catch up on the latest football games. I tried restarting the laptop, force killing everything, but nothing was working. The laptop was literally operating with a mind of its own. So I texted Megan, hoping she could help me sort it out before Lila noticed. I knew Lila would be pissed if she found out I had killed her laptop. I was expecting Megan to link me to a couple tech sites, nothing too fancy. What I didn't expect was for her to come up to my room." I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"I know, right?" Noah continued. "I was honestly so surprised she managed to get away from Lila but she just waved me off, like it was no big deal. She sat down and got to work right away. I couldn't follow half of it but _damn_ , she knew what she was doing. It was almost mesmerizing watching her work on the computer like that." I swore Noah had a heart-eyes-look on his face.

"If I didn't know any better, I'd said you have a thing for her," I said playfully, poking Noah in the arm.

"Who, Megan?" Noah asked, trying to play dumb. Unfortunately, I saw right through him.

"Who else could it be? I've seen the looks you've given each other." Noah's face took on a panicked expression, which I didn't blame him for. "Yo, it's cool if you have a thing for her. Who am I to judge?"

"Well, um, I kinda think she has a thing for me too," Noah said, blushing. I raised my eyebrows in surprise but didn't say anything. "After she finished working her computer magic and Lila's laptop was restarting, I made the mistake of saying that was the sexiest virus killing I had ever seen."

"Knowing Megan, that probably didn't sit well with her."

"She was literally about to slap me. But then I grabbed her hand, pulled her towards me, and the next thing I knew, we were making out." Noah's face turned bright red.

"Damn, bro, if Tanner were here, he'd be so proud of you."

"You think?"

"Of course. How was it?"

"Great. Until we heard Lila calling Megan's name."

"I hope she didn't catch you guys."

"Thank God, she didn't. I can't even imagine what she'd say. Before I knew what was happening, Megan had shoved me into my desk chair and was quickly working on the laptop again. And then Lila walked in and asked what we were doing."

"What did you say?"

"Looking at memes, according to Megan. She had pulled up this meme compilation video and it was playing like nothing had ever happened to Lila's laptop. I swear Megan had worked some kind of miracle."

"Wow. Did Lila believe you?"

"Hard to say. All she said was 'I didn't know you guys were into memes' then asked Megan about getting movie snacks."

"Damn, that sounds like a close call."

"I'll say. Though after Lila left, Megan looked me right in the eye and told me that she would keep quiet about Lila's laptop and the make-out session if I helped her with whatever she wanted."

"Wow, some deal you made there. Sounds like there was no end date for that."

"As far as I'm concerned, nope. Helping her with all these traps is just the start of it. I hope that doesn't mean I'll be Megan's slave for life."

"So are you and Megan a thing now?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. I mean, she's cute, she's smart, she seriously knows her way around a computer, what's not to like about her?"

"No offense, bro, but I don't think Lila would be super happy about the idea of her best friend and her brother dating."

"That's why we're trying to keep it on the DL. We don't want this getting out yet, especially to Lila."

"Don't worry, bro. I got you. I won't tell a soul."

"Promise?"

"Swear on my life. You can take my word for it." I gave Noah a reassuring nod. He hesitated before returning my nod.

"Okay. Because if this gets out, I'm pretty sure both Megan _and_ Lila will be after us and that would not be a pretty sight."

"Don't worry, I think I can handle both of them," I said, with a laugh.

"No kidding, girls practically melt around you," Noah muttered.

"Thanks, I'll take that as a compliment," I said, smirking. "Anyways, you want me to set up the explosive tripwire?"

"Yes, please," Noah said, gratefully handing me the explosive tripwire alarm. I attached it to a long piece of fishing wire and taped it across the bottom of the door. I did the same with the other explosive tripwire alarms that Megan had made, being careful not to accidentally set any of them off. Next, we set up a couple of swinging spikes that Megan had made by tying a bunch of nails together.

"This would seriously hurt, getting one to the face," Noah said, as he tied a spike to the ceiling, while trying not to get hit in the face with it.

"Couldn't be as bad as getting one down there," I said with a smirk, unable to resist making a dirty joke, like Tanner would have done. Noah burst out laughing.

"I didn't realize you had a sense of humour, you know, being Russian," Noah said awkwardly. "Sorry, that probably sounded really racist."

"It's cool, don't worry about it. I'm not easily offended." I was used to hearing things like that, especially since Tanner and Jordan got a real kick out of Russian jokes.

"I can imagine. Seems like you need a thick skin to survive embassy life." Noah's voice had a hint of regret. It made me wonder if his fallout with Grace was still bothering him.

"Everything alright?" I asked, knowing I was treading some dangerous waters.

"Yeah, everything's fine, for the most part." I noticed how Noah had focused his attention on the wire he was tying and hadn't looked at me when replying, a clear sign that everything wasn't fine. I took a deep breath, bracing myself for the worse.

"I heard you and Grace had a bit of a … misunderstanding," I said slowly, hoping I had found the right word.

"Misunderstanding is an understatement," Noah said bitterly. "I trusted her. I believed in her. Hell, I was willing to put my life on the line for her. But then I find out she fricking lied to me! What's a guy to do?" Noah looked pretty pissed off, to say the least. But he also looked disappointed and hurt.

"You know Grace has trust issues," I said carefully. "You can probably imagine how hard it is for her to open up about things like that."

"Because watching a scarred man murder your mother is totally enough to give you trust issues," Noah deadpanned. "How could she not have trusted me enough to tell me about the others? I trusted her. I let her into my life and told her some pretty personal shit. How could she not do the same? I thought we were friends." I carefully thought about my response before replying, for fear of setting Noah off again.

"Sometimes, not even the people you're closest to can be trusted. And Grace has had to learn that the hard way. So I can imagine she'd have a hard time telling you about personal things."

"How hard could it have been to say 'Yes, Noah, I have accused other scarred men before'? She would have consciously known she was lying to me. How could she do something like that?"

"I'd say Grace was trying to protect you."

"I don't need protecting. I can handle the big things."

"More than anything, I think Grace was trying to protect herself from trusting people, only to have them betray her. If it makes you feel any better, I spoke to Grace the night of your fight and she was pretty upset about it. She needs her friends more than ever right now and that includes you too."

"I don't even know if I can call her my friend anymore." Noah looked down, almost regretfully. Clearly, he was hurting more than he was letting on.

"Look, I know you may not like Grace much right now. But she still cares about you and you still care about her." I was met with silence. Noah obviously did still care about Grace, even if he wasn't willing to admit it. "Why don't you try talking to her? She'll be at the party tonight."

"And risk getting lied to again? No thanks."

"You don't have to immediately make up and become friends again. Just acknowledge that you made mistakes and had a falling out. That's it. Because let's face it, things are going to get awkward pretty quickly if you and Grace refuse to acknowledge that you had a fight." Noah sighed in response, making me think that I had finally gotten through to him.

"You're probably right. I mean, diplomatic relations are hard enough, without adding friend drama in there. But still, she flat-out lied to me. That's a huge deal breaker in my books."

"I understand. Again, Grace has her own reasons for lying to you. But things will work out. They always do," I said, although I wondered if that was just for Noah's benefit or mine too. Noah just nodded solemnly, although it looked like he wanted to say more.

"Anyways, I suppose we should get that bad boy set up," Noah said, looking down at one last booby trap on the floor. It was an electric shock trap, designed to shock anyone who tried to touch the metal door knob. Megan had definitely gone to town with all these booby traps. There was no way anyone would get past this door tonight, not without sustaining a few injuries.

The atmosphere was a little tense as Noah and I attempted to correctly set up the electric shock trap. However, the mood quickly lightened when I shocked myself with the trap.

"Damn it, Megan," I muttered, as I rubbed my hand in pain. A jolt of pain suddenly went up my arm and I swore in Russian, trying to keep my arm from spasming.

"Looks like someone isn't such a big, bad Russian anymore," Noah said, not bothering to hide his laughter. We managed to set up the trap without any more electric shock mishaps. After, we added the finishing touch, a chair jammed underneath the door knob. When we finally finished, Noah and I stood back to admire our handiwork.

"Hey, I think we did pretty good," I said, taking in the complex network of traps and barricades that looked like something straight out of a _Home Alone_ movie.

"You think Megan would let me put this on Snapchat?" Noah asked.

"Hard to say," I said, with a laugh. "She told me about that one picture she made you delete from your Story. Let's just say she wasn't very happy about it." Noah's face took on a panicked expression.

"Yo, in my defence, I thought it'd be funny. I guess Megan didn't agree with that."

"No kidding. When she told me about it, she looked like she was ready to murder someone."

"Yeah, probably me. Luckily, the others were there so she really couldn't do much to me."

"Besides, you probably wouldn't have had much luck trying to stop her."

"No kidding. That crazy expedition was all her idea. The rest of us didn't have any say in it."

"I figured as much. Megan seemed pretty damn proud of it too when I asked her about it."

"Of course she was," Noah muttered.

"Anyways, if you want to take a picture for Snapchat, go ahead. I won't stop you," I said. I was used to Tanner taking zillions of pictures for Snapchat, to the point where I gave up trying to stop him.

"Cool, thanks, man," Noah said. He took out his phone and clicked on Snapchat. I moved to the side so he could get a nice shot.

"No problem. Now we just pack up our shit and leave," I said. I was just about to start putting all the extra rolls of fishing wire into a bag when Noah's horrified face stopped me.

"Yeah, one small problem, how are we going to get out?" Noah asked, nodding towards the door. It took me a second to realize the gravity of our situation. In setting up all the booby traps and barricades, Noah and I had effectively locked ourselves into the secret passage. There was no way we'd get past the door, not without triggering at least one of the traps.

"Shit, we should have thought this through better," I muttered.

"Tell me about it. You think there's another way out besides the passage?"

"I doubt it." I grabbed my phone and pulled up the picture of the embassy blueprints that Megan had sent me. I zoomed in, finding the door and the passage we were currently in.

"Find another way out?" Noah asked, as he leaned over to look at my phone screen.

"Nope. So unless you'd like to starve to death or wait for someone to break down the door, our only escape route is the passage."

"Well, sketchy passage it is then," Noah said, looking uncertainly at the long, dark hallway that loomed before us.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! What do you think will happen to Noah and Alexei in the secret passage?**

 **Next chapter will be up between May 2 and May 11. Even though school is done, I've got a ton of crazy things coming up so I'm still going to be fairly busy. I've got a conditional job offer for the summer so I'll be busy with job training and prepping for that over the next couple of weeks. But hopefully I'll still have time leftover for fanfiction (especially since I think I'll need to completely scrap and rewrite one of the last few chapters). See you guys in a couple of weeks!**


	24. Chapter 24 - Calm Before the Storm

**Gonna take a cue from CammieAMorgan and start replying to all reviews (from guests and registered users) in the author's notes. Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Before, I did reply to reviews from registered users in PM's but I figured it would be easier to have one place to reply to all reviews (from both guests and registered users). If you leave a review as a registered user, then I'll also PM you separately, to thank you for reviewing!**

 **Guest: Glad you enjoyed that trap session!**

 **A New Look: Glad you enjoyed that chapter! Oddly enough, I hadn't realized that Noah and Alexei would be locking themselves into the door by trapping it until I was quite far into writing that chapter. So I thought it'd be funny to include that bit at the end where they realized they had locked themselves in!**

 **This is a bit of a filler chapter but it sets up for everything that will happen in the next few chapters. It's mostly a bunch of dialogue and then some banter at the end that I really enjoyed writing. Just a quick note, the banter at the end is a bit crude so you may want to skip over those parts (I've italicized them for clarity) if you're not into that sort of stuff. As you may have noticed, the last few chapters were a bit devoid of Tanner and Jordan but they're back ;) Enjoy!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Four: Calm Before the Storm

After packing up all of the supplies, Noah and I started through the secret passageway.

"I'm really hoping this won't be as bad as those underground tunnels," Noah said. "Seriously, those were super creepy."

"Agreed." If Noah was surprised that I knew about the tunnels, he didn't show it.

"I always feel like I'm gonna get jumped when I'm in the tunnels."

"Funny story, I was showing Tanner and Jordan around the tunnels when we heard Ms. Chancellor and Dominic Novak down there."

"Seriously?"

"Seriously. And then Tanner's phone went off so we nearly got busted for being down there."

"Damn, that would have sucked so much if you were busted."

"I know right?" I suddenly got a very weird sense of déjà vu, like I did in the tunnels, before Tanner, Jordan, and I ran into Ms. Chancellor and Dominic.

"Just me or do you feel like we're not alone down here?" I asked Noah.

"What are you talking about? There's literally no one around." Noah gave me a confused look.

"I just have this weird feeling, like something or someone is watching us." A wave of nausea rolled through me as that creepy and foreboding feeling hit me again.

"Are you sure you're not high or something?" Noah gave me a skeptical look.

"I'm not," I replied, feeling sick to my stomach. "I promise I am not making this up."

"Looks like Tanner and Jordan aren't kidding, maybe you aren't such a big, bad –" Noah started, before he stopped short. A female voice was ringing clearly through the passage. Noah and I just looked at each other, as the voice and the all too familiar sound of clicking heels got closer.

"Shit, now what?" Noah whispered. I quickly looked around, trying to find anywhere we could hide or escape. There weren't a whole lot of options, given that it was such a tiny passage.

"Over here!" I whispered, pulling Noah behind a pillar. It wasn't the best hiding place but it'd have to do. I pressed myself up against the back of the pillar as best as I could. Noah slid in next to me, trying to conceal himself and the bag of supplies as best as he could. I heard the voice and the sound of high heels getting increasingly closer.

"Dominic, I'd assume you're coming to the party tonight –" the voice started before getting cut off. My stomach quickly sank as I realized two things. Firstly, that Ms. Chancellor, out of all people, was in the passage with Noah and I and secondly, that she was on the phone with Dominic Novak. This seemed so much like the time Tanner, Jordan, and I had almost been caught in the tunnels by Ms. Chancellor and Dominic; it was almost eerie.

"Right. Would you be able to sneak away for a brief moment? I'm sure the prime minster doesn't need his right-hand man by his side the whole night," Ms. Chancellor said. My ears perked up. Were Dominic and Ms. Chancellor planning something?

"Good, we need to make sure everything will go according to plan," Ms. Chancellor said, as she walked right by Noah and I. She seemed very focused on her phone call, not even noticing us. "Yes, of course. Grace will be there tonight. I'll make sure of it. I'll force her to go if it comes down to that." I almost had to hold my breath, to keep myself from gasping in shock. It sounded like something was going to happen to Grace at the party tonight. I wasn't sure what it was but I really hoped it wasn't that murder plan I had overheard from the Russian embassy basement.

"I'd prefer to keep on eye on Grace all night but then we wouldn't be able to meet up. I suppose I'll have to trust that she'll be able to handle herself tonight," Ms. Chancellor continued, as her voice and the sound of her clicking high heels gradually faded away.

"Oh no, please don't tell me she's heading towards that booby-trapped door," Noah whispered. I looked up and realized, much to my horror, that Ms. Chancellor was indeed heading in the direction of the booby-trapped door. Things would not end well if she stumbled upon the door and triggered the traps. However, Ms. Chancellor suddenly turned a corner, taking her away from the direction of the booby-trapped door.

"For a second, I was legitimately scared all our hard work would be wasted on Ms. Chancellor," Noah said, letting out the breath he had been holding. I nodded in agreement as we continued down the secret passage, away from Ms. Chancellor and the booby-trapped door.

"Okay, what the hell was that?" Noah asked. "What does the Scarred Man have to do with Ms. Chancellor, out of all people?"

"Everything, apparently. When Tanner, Jordan, and I nearly ran into them in the tunnels, they were talking about Grace and saying something about keeping all these secrets from her."

"Damn, that seems so sketchy," Noah mused. "And here I thought Ms. Chancellor was perfectly harmless."

"Come on, man, this is Adria. Everyone is not who they seem to be," I replied.

"Don't remind me," Noah muttered. I instantly regretted saying that, as it no doubt reminded Noah of Grace.

The rest of the journey through the passage was filled with small talk, on safe topics. I made a point to avoid talking about Grace, as she was a sore subject for both of us. Surprisingly, the passage was easy to follow, unlike the convoluted network of the underground tunnels. It didn't take us long to navigate our way through. We quickly resurfaced in a quiet hallway near the back of the embassy, at which point, we headed over to Megan's apartment. We had all agreed to meet up after setting up the traps.

"Damn, bruh, there you are," Tanner said, as we walked in. "For a second there, Jordan and I were starting to think you had finally hooked up with Grace."

"As if," I replied, rolling my eyes.

"In all seriousness, what took you guys so long?" Megan asked.

"With the way we set up the traps, we ended up locking ourselves into the secret passage," I said regretfully, knowing Tanner and Jordan would make fun of me for that. I was right, as Tanner and Jordan immediately started snickering. I glared at them, hoping they'd shut up. "So the only way out was to follow the secret passage."

"And you will not believe who we ran into," Noah said.

"Who?" Rosie asked, her eyes lighting up in curiosity.

"Ms. Chancellor, on the phone with the Scarred Man," Noah stated.

"Damn, looks like Secret Ninja Lady is at it again with the sketchy secret conversations," Tanner said.

"Tell me about it," Noah said. "Based on what we heard of her phone call, it sounded like her and the Scarred Man were up to something."

"Up to something?" Megan echoed, looking suspicious. "That doesn't sound good."

"I agree. It sounded like they were planning on meeting up tonight, at the party," I said. "They were speaking about making sure that everything would go according to plan tonight, although I have no idea what that would be."

"Damn, sounds like shit's going down tonight," Jordan said.

"So how many people are we keeping tabs on tonight?" Rosie asked.

"Looks like it's two now, Ms. Chancellor and the Scarred Man. Well, three if you count Grace," Megan said.

"How about we volunteer Alexei to keep tabs on Grace?" Tanner asked, with a suggestive wink.

"And risk facing my father's wrath again? No thanks," I replied.

"Though in all seriousness, someone stay with Grace tonight, just in case," Megan said.

"Count me out. I've got waiter duty all night and the boss will freak if I'm not circulating with hors d'oeuvres," Jordan said.

"You know what, I could probably do that," Megan said.

"No, you should stay with your mother," I said. Everyone looked at me in surprise but I just continued talking. "Megan, your mother is CIA, right?"

"Well, technically, I'm not supposed to say," Megan replied. The look on her face gave everything away though. I didn't know a lot about Megan's mother's job but I knew that she was pretty high up and had serious connections, connections that could be useful if shit went down tonight.

"If something happens tonight, then you will need to tell your mother. She should be able to immediately contact the right people to deal with the situation," I explained. In my mind, it would be safer to have the pros deal with high-profile, undercover murderers, instead of trying to take them down ourselves.

"So what are the rest of us non-CIA folks gonna do? Party it up?" Tanner asked.

"Rosie, I was going to ask you to keep tabs on the Scarred Man," I said. I exchanged a look with Megan, who gave me a small nod in agreement.

"Does that mean I get to follow him around all night?" Rosie asked, her face eagerly lighting up.

"You bet," Megan said, with a smile. "We can't lose sight of the Scarred Man and I trust that you'll be able to keep an eye on him all night."

"Of course. I won't let you down," Rosie replied.

"Remind me again who this scarred dude is?" Tanner asked.

"Lemme see if I can pull up a pic," Megan said, as she unlocked her laptop and clicked around.

"Here. In case you need a reminder, this is our Scarred Man, the guy you need to look out for tonight," Megan said. Everyone crowded in closer, to get a better look at the picture. "Dominic Novak, head of security for the prime minister. He's the guy who supposedly killed Grace's mother."

"And the guy who goes around making sketchy plans with Ms. Chancellor," Noah seconded.

"Oh wait, wasn't he the guy with Secret Ninja Lady when we were almost caught in the tunnels?" Tanner asked, the realization written all over his face.

"Yup, that's the guy," I said.

"Wow, I could easily spot him from a mile away. That scar is practically a homing beacon," Tanner said, as he examined the picture of Dominic. There was no mistaking the salt and pepper hair, as well as the prominent scar running down the side of his face. "Besides, how many scarred dudes named Dominic could there possibly be?"

"I'm sure Grace knows a couple more," Noah said bitterly. The rest of us exchanged an uneasy glance. Clearly, Noah was still hurting. However, no one said anything, for fear of further provoking him.

"Okay, a few guidelines for tonight," Megan instructed, bringing us back to the current task at hand. "We'll act as normally as possible. However, everyone needs to keep an eye out for Ms. Chancellor and the Scarred Man, in case they go through with their plans. And everyone should have their phones on them tonight, so we can keep in touch in case something happens."

"Sounds good to me," I replied.

"Same here," Noah seconded.

"Jordan, you're working tonight, right?" Megan asked.

"Yup," Jordan replied.

"Good. I was thinking we could use the kitchen as a potential escape route or hideout in case things really go south," Megan said.

"Um, okay," Jordan replied, a bit skeptically. "Not sure how the boss will feel about a bunch of embassy kids sneaking into the kitchen if things go to shit but I'll see what I can do."

"We just need to be able to get in there. I found a couple secret passages from the kitchen that we can use if needed."

"Sounds good. I should be able to get you guys in if needed," Jordan said, nodding in understanding.

"Cool. So we got our secret plans and escape routes sorted. Now what?" Tanner asked.

"Now, we wait," Megan replied, a wry smirk on her face.

* * *

"Really, bro, glitter hair spray?" I asked skeptically, as I watched Tanner in the mirror. After running around the American embassy earlier this afternoon, Tanner, Jordan, and I were in my bathroom getting ready for the party tonight.

"What? It adds a nice finishing touch," Tanner said, as he hit the nozzle on his can of glitter hair spray. Soon, his gelled hair was covered in a cloud of silver glitter. Unfortunately, that also meant my bathroom mirror and counter got hit with flecks of silver glitter.

"Bro, you're getting it all over my bathroom," I said. Tanner just gave me an incredulous look as he hit the nozzle again.

"What? You need to add a little flair to your crib. It's so boring and black and white, no offense."

" _Bro, this isn't a little flair. This looks like a unicorn took a massive shit in my bathroom," I argued._

" _Dude, unicorns shit sparkly rainbows, not sparkly silver glitter," Jordan interjected. "Have you ever seen that Squatty Potty ad with the unicorn?"_

" _Sparkly rainbows, sparkly silver glitter, close enough. Either way, my father's not going to like it," I said. "The last thing I need is for my father to walk in, see this mess, and start questioning my sexual orientation."_

 _"Oh please, there is no way you could be gay, even if you tried," Jordan said. "Not with the stick that's shoved all the way up your ass and your utter lack of emotions."_

"Gee, thanks for the compliment," I said, rolling my eyes. "By the way, you need a hand there?" I looked over at Jordan as he struggled to tie his tie for the umpteenth time.

"Yes please," Jordan said, handing me his tie. "I honestly don't know how you embassy kids do it."

"Natural talent. And a bit of practice," I said, as I effortlessly tied Jordan's tie into a full Windsor knot.

"Damn, that took you less than thirty seconds," Jordan said, looking impressed as I handed his tie back to him. Even Tanner looked a bit surprised that I could tie a tie so fast.

"Like I said, natural talent," I replied, with a cheeky smirk.

"By the way, where's your tie?" Tanner asked, looking at my still-open dress shirt.

"Haven't chosen one yet," I said, with a sigh. The party was starting in less than an hour and I still hadn't chosen a tie. I honestly couldn't be bothered to look through the plethora of ties on my tie rack.

"How hard could it possibly be to choose a tie?" Jordan asked, giving me a funny look.

"It's hard when you've got way too many ties and not enough time to choose one," I replied.

"Well, then we're gonna find one for you," Tanner said, as he headed towards my closet, Jordan at his heels. I let out a sigh as I followed them.

"Damn, you weren't kidding when you said you had a lot of ties," Jordan said, as he looked at my tie rack.

"At least it's organized really nicely," Tanner said, diving right in. I had colour-coded my tie rack and arranged them from light to dark.

"How about black?" Jordan asked, examining a series of black ties.

"No way. Our boy needs to lighten up," Tanner said. "You're wearing colours whether you like it or not." I simply sighed in response. Unlike me, Tanner loved going all out with his colours. Tonight, he was wearing a dark green suit, with a white dress shirt and a forest green striped tie. As usual, I was wearing a black suit with a white dress shirt. Simple but elegant. I much preferred a monochromatic, classic look over tons of flashy colours.

"Like this?" Jordan said, pulling out a dark pink tie.

"Yes!" Tanner exclaimed.

"Absolutely not," I said, at the same time. "There's no way I'm wearing pink."

"How about purple then?" Tanner asked, pulling out a royal purple silk tie.

"Is this your way of subtly trying to change my sexual orientation?" I asked. "If so, it's not working."

"Yo, it takes a real man to pull off pink and purple," Tanner said, putting the purple tie back on the rack. "But fine, have it your way."

"What about blue?" Jordan asked, pulling out an ocean blue tie. I let out a sigh of relief. Blue I could handle.

"Ooh, this is one nice tie," Tanner said, snatching it out of Jordan's hands. He held the tie up next to my face.

"What do you think? Does it match his eyes?" Tanner asked, as he looked from my face to the tie and back again.

"Yeah, it does actually," Jordan said. "Chicks dig it when you do stuff like that."

"What, match your clothes to your eye colour?" I asked, incredulous.

"Of course. It really ties your whole look together," Tanner said, practically shoving the ocean blue tie into my hands. "Now don't make me force choke you with that."

"Nah, I'm good, bro, already got enough of that from my father," I replied darkly, as I put on the tie.

"No kidding, you think he'll be at your throat if he sees you talking to Grace tonight or finds out you've been talking to her?" Jordan asked.

"He'll be at my throat regardless," I said coldly.

"Damn. And I thought Asian parents were bad," Tanner said. A cold silence settled between us for a moment before Jordan spoke up.

"Yo, let's quit it with the depressing talk and get our asses over to the American embassy," he said. "After all, we've got one sick party tonight."

"Agreed, let's make tonight our bitch," Tanner said, a grin on his face.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between May 18 and May 25. I passed my job training so that means I'm certified to work. So work, as well as family visiting for the May long weekend and the week after that, will be keeping me busy for the next couple weeks. But the next chapter shouldn't take me too long to edit (hopefully). I'm sure you can all guess which chapter from the books is coming up next ;)**


	25. Chapter 25 - Into the Arms of Sorrow

**My apologies for not posting this chapter when I said I would. I've had so much more to do than I imagined for work so that kept me pretty busy over the last couple weeks. And unsurprisingly, I put off editing this chapter because I really wanted to get it right. After all, it is the last Gralexei scene in All Fall Down and I definitely don't want to disappoint anyone.**

 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (so from oldest to newest). Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed; I was genuinely so touched after reading all your kind words about the previous chapter and this story as a whole!**

 **Guest 1: I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! I added in the squatty potty thing last minute, while doing the editing. I felt like it fit really well and couldn't resist putting it in, even though I felt it was kind of crude (relative to what's in the books). I showed it to a couple of my friends and they thought it was fine so I decided to leave it in!**

 **Guest 2: I'm glad I was able to make your day! I hope this next chapter finds you well!**

 **A New Look: I'm glad you enjoyed this chapter! Don't worry about having problems with the site, it happens. I hope this next chapter finds you well!**

 **Guest 3: Like I said at the start of this author's note, I apologize for not posting this chapter earlier but I hope this next chapter finds you well. I am definitely planning on writing the entire book series from Alexei's POV, although it may be a bit slow going, with school and other things that may come up in the future.**

 **Guest 4: I'm glad you've been enjoying the story so far and I hope this next chapter finds you well! I tried to add more substance and give Alexei his own issues to deal with, so my story isn't just a rehashing of all the Gralexei scenes in Alexei's POV. I am currently working on the first draft of See How They Run in Alexei's POV (since I write my chapters way in advance and edit them two or three times before posting); I'm on the part where Grace and Alexei are about to go into the ruins!**

 **Guest 5: I'm glad you find my story easy to follow. Like I said to Guest 4, I wanted to give Alexei some background and create a storyline for him, so that my story isn't just a rehashing of all the Gralexei scenes in Alexei's POV. I am definitely planning on writing the entire book series from Alexei's POV and I'm currently working on the first draft of See How They Run in Alexei's POV! I've talked a bit more about that in my replies to other guest reviews. Like I said at the start of this author's note, I apologize for not posting this chapter earlier but I hope this next chapter finds you well!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Five: Into the Arms of Sorrow

"Oh good, you guys are here," Megan said, as Tanner, Jordan, and I walked into the American embassy's party hall.

"Where's Grace?" Tanner asked, looking around.

"No sign of her yet. Same with Ms. Chancellor and the Scarred Man," Megan said.

"Noah just texted to say he's on his way," Rosie said, looking up from her phone.

"Cool, once everyone gets here, we can get into position," Megan replied.

"Well, I hate to leave all the action but I gotta run down to the kitchen and start serving hors d'oeuvres," Jordan said. "I'll make sure to bring you guys food every now and again."

"Alright, cool," Megan said, barely looking up from her phone.

"And I better run too because someone's girl is looking pretty lonely and in need of some action," Tanner said suggestively, nudging me. "Ten o'clock." I looked up to my left, like Tanner said, and sure enough, Grace was standing by herself on the second-floor balcony that ran around the perimeter of the room. She was looking down into the party hall and hadn't spotted us yet.

"Go get 'em, tiger," Tanner said, with a wink. He and Jordan headed off, leaving Megan, Rosie, and I to talk to Grace. We made our way up to the balcony and over to where Grace was standing. My breath caught as I took her in. Once again, she had cleaned up well. She was wearing a tasteful, knee-length ivory dress with gold sequins and a wide skirt. When our eyes met, it only reinforced the notion that things had changed between us. As I approached her, still looking into her eyes, I almost felt a strengthened connection between us, like that night on the wall had only served to bring us together.

"You okay?" I asked, keeping my voice low. Even though there was so much going on in the party hall, my attention was focused only on her. I couldn't keep my eyes off her, as if she'd disappear the second I looked away.

"I'm fine," Grace said, too quickly.

"No, you aren't," I replied, shaking my head. There was no way Grace was fine. One look in her eyes was more than enough to tell me that.

"Anything happening?" Rosie asked, as she climbed onto the railing, precariously leaning over it.

"I don't know," Grace said, shaking her head as she scanned the floor. "The guests are arriving, and everything looks okay." However, if our suspicions were correct and if what Ms. Chancellor had said earlier in the secret passage was true, then something big was going to happen tonight. And that was not likely to end well.

I watched the floor with Grace, Rosie, and Megan. It looked like the average party, with guests mingling and dancing to the music of the string quartet. When Noah and Lila arrived, Lila looked up at me and waved, a huge smile on her face. I politely waved back, not wanting to deal with her tonight.

A few moments later, Tanner and Jordan walked by, right underneath where I was standing. Tanner looked from me to Grace then suggestively wiggled his eyebrows. I merely shook my head in response. There was no way anything was going to happen between Grace and I tonight. Seconds later, I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I sneakily pulled it out and looked at the screen.

" _damn bruh r u gonna get some or not? ? ? How r u standing next 2 Grace and not doing anything about it? ? ? at least ask her 2 dance or smthng!_ " Tanner texted. I sighed as I slid my phone back in my pocket. With one last look down at Tanner and Jordan, I turned towards Grace.

"Do you want to dance, Grace?" I asked her.

"No," she bluntly replied.

"Grace!" Megan exclaimed. I raised my eyebrows at her, wondering what that was for.

"No, thank you, Alexei," Grace said, causing Megan and Rosie to roll their eyes. I almost sighed in relief, grateful that I wouldn't have to risk getting caught dancing with Grace again. My father definitely would have been at my throat if that happened again. I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. With a sneaking suspicion, I glanced down at the floor, to see Tanner and Jordan shaking their heads. I pulled my phone out of my pocket and clicked on the text from Jordan.

" _normally I'd say u got cock-blocked but damn it looks like she flat-out rejected u_ " I shook my head, not bothering to reply. As much as I would have loved to dance with Grace, it was better that she refused my offer to dance. After all, the last thing I needed was yet another lecture from my father.

I noticed Grace glancing around at all the doors leading to the balcony. Her eyes lingered on the door behind the potted plant, which was the door that Noah and I had booby-trapped earlier.

"Is it secure?" Grace asked.

"No one is opening that passage tonight," I replied, with a nod. "We've barricaded it shut."

"Yeah," Megan chimed in. "I booby-trapped it every way I know. And I know a lot of ways. Trust me. If it budges, I'll know it." She held up her phone as proof, which was showing a blinking red dot. I recognized it as her security camera app, which was synchronized with all the security cameras we had set up earlier.

"There he is," Grace said suddenly. "There's Dominic. He's here." I glanced down at the floor and saw Dominic Novak walking through the metal detectors. I smirked as the machines beeped, causing red lights to flash. Compliant as ever, he stepped aside for further inspection.

"Why are they patting him down? He's the prime minister's head of security," Grace said.

"Doesn't matter," Megan said, shaking her head. "Secret Service won't allow anyone to enter with a weapon tonight." I exchanged a glance with Megan. Now that Dominic had arrived, it was time to put our plan into action.

"Rosie," I said, taking leadership, "Why don't you make yourself at home in his shadow?" Rosie smiled, ready to do what she did best.

"I'm on it," Rosie said. She bolted down the stairs, skirting between dancing couples and dodging waiters. At one point, she nearly crashed into Jordan, almost making him drop his tray of hors d'oeuvres. I gave Jordan a knowing look, shaking my head at him. He just stuck his tongue out at me then continued around the hall, handing out hors d'oeuvres. I smiled in satisfaction as Rosie found Dominic and took up her position no more than three feet from him. She looked like a natural extension of his shadow, which was exactly what she needed to be tonight.

"Okay, Megan," I said, turning to her. "Stay with your mother. Be close to her in case we need to tip off the authorities to something."

"On it," Megan replied, as she turned around, leaving Grace and I alone. Grace was watching Megan leave, with an almost sad look on her face, like we were slowly abandoning her.

"It's not going to come to that," I said, looking at Grace. She merely nodded, without speaking. "Grace, it's going to be okay." I dared to place my hand on her arm as a comforting gesture. However, she looked like she had barely paid attention to me. It was as if she had spaced out. I wondered where her head was and what she was seeing, instead of this vibrant party scene. It was like the time she had spaced out in the American embassy. That had been her first day back in Adria. Since then, so much had changed, especially between us. We could never go back to who we were before, a Russian boy with an American best friend and an innocent younger sister who just wanted to play with the boys.

"Grace, is there something wrong?" I asked, my voice full of concern. I always hated these moments when she spaced out because I never knew what she was seeing or how to help her.

"I'm sorry."

"For what?" What did Grace possibly have to be sorry for?

"For the other night. For dragging you into this. For –"

"Hey," I said, cutting her off. I couldn't stop myself from gently cupping her face in my hands. I tilted her face up, so that I was looking into her eyes.

"I'm sorry you promised Jamie that you'd keep me out of trouble."

"Yeah, that's why I'm here. Because I promised Jamie." However, we both knew it was more than just that. More than anything, I wanted to be the one to protect Grace and keep her safe from anything that would dare to harm her. I wanted her to know that I would always be by her side and that I would help her fight her demons.

"That night at the palace, where did you go? I saw you go upstairs after we danced. Why?" I gently released Grace's face, my arms dropping to my sides. I never looked away from her though, not daring to break the spell just yet.

"My father and I were arguing. I needed to get away and clear my head." That wasn't entirely a lie. However, it was probably better if Grace didn't know that my father had tackled me to the ground for dancing with her.

"What were you arguing about?" Grace asked. I hesitated before answering, breaking eye contact and lowering my eyes. I almost didn't want to tell her, for fear of ruining what we had. Yet, I felt like it was important for her to know, as the last thing we needed between us was more secrets. I gripped the railing hard as I answered her, unable to look at her.

"You." Mercifully, she stayed silent as I figured out the best way to explain our situation to her.

"Adria has always been important, you know. Strategic. It was once the main trade route between Europe and the Far and Middle East. It has always mattered." I paused for a second, as Grace seemed kind of confused by what I was saying.

"The United States and Russia, we have our own complicated histories. Our countries will never be true allies, Grace. And there are those who feel that, because of that, you and I can never be friends." Or more than friends for that matter. As I glanced down at the floor, I saw my father standing right in the middle of the party hall, glaring up at me. It was as if my words had conjured him. He looked like he was going to beat me up, or worse. Yup, my father was definitely going to be at my throat tonight.

"You should go," Grace said.

"I'm okay here." Despite the impending doom, I found myself not wanting to leave Grace's presence.

"No. Don't make your father mad just to keep me company. Go. Circulate. I'll be here." As much as I hated to admit it, Grace was right. It would only anger him further if I continued to stay up here with her. I finally turned away, only to find Noah standing at the bottom of the stairs. I smiled to myself, hoping that he really had taken my earlier words into consideration.

"You should go, too," I said to Grace, jerking my head to the bottom of the stairs, where Noah was currently standing. I quickly made my way down the stairs, nodding at Noah as I passed him. He didn't look very happy to be here but nonetheless, returned my nod. I made my way over to my father, whose face had taken on an icy expression.

"What was that?" my father growled at me. "For a second, I actually thought you had stuck to your word and avoided the American girl. Clearly, that was not the case."

"I just ran into Grace while I was with Megan and Rosie. I thought I'd say hello, to be polite."

"That looked like more than polite conversation to me. Rather, it looked like you were quite friendly with the American girl, maybe a little _too_ friendly." My father raised an eyebrow at me, as if daring me to object.

"Is there anything wrong with being a little friendly?"

"Yes. In the end, it is your friends that betray you, not your enemies. Do you understand?" my father said, giving me a cold, hard look.

"Yes, father." I nodded, not quite sure what he was getting at. Did he seriously think Grace was going to betray me? Although I was pretty sure Grace and my other friends wouldn't do that to me, I supposed I wouldn't know until the time came, if it ever did.

"Good. You are coming with me now. I'd like you to meet the Russian president."

* * *

After an hour of circulating and meeting people, my father finally let me go. I immediately made a beeline towards the table where Tanner and Jordan were sitting.

"Damn, bruh, you look beat," Tanner said.

"Getting rejected will do that to a guy," Jordan said. "Sandwich?"

"Yes, please," I replied, grabbing a cucumber sandwich off Jordan's tray.

"This whole tray is for the three of us so eat up, bro," Jordan said.

"Don't mind if I do," I said, grabbing a cheese sandwich. Nothing like food to drown my sorrows.

I suddenly spotted Rosie running around frantically, like she was looking for something, or more likely, someone.

"Rosie, is something wrong?" I asked, as she ran by our table. She quickly looked over at us and stopped for a second.

"I can't find the Scarred Man or Ms. Chancellor," Rosie gasped.

"That's not good," I said, immediately becoming more alert. "Where did they go?"

"I-I don't know," Rosie said, looking down in shame. "One second, I was following the Scarred Man, then the next, he just disappeared. I looked around for Ms. Chancellor but I couldn't find her either."

"I need you to go find them," I instructed Rosie. "For Grace's sake, we can't let them out of our sight."

"Of course, I understand," Rosie said, as she took off again.

"Does this mean Secret Rendez-Vous Round Two?" Tanner asked.

"I hope not," I replied. "Otherwise, it means something big will be going down soon."

"Megan just texted to say that none of the traps have been set off," Jordan said, scrolling through the group chat Megan had created for tonight's party. "So I have no idea where they would have gone."

"Unless Secret Ninja Lady is also some kind of tech wizard who knows how to disable booby traps," Tanner said.

"What's this I hear about Ms. Chancellor being a tech wizard?" I looked up to see Noah and Megan approaching our table.

"We've got bad news," I replied, getting straight to the point. "Rosie just stopped by to say she can't find Dominic or Ms. Chancellor."

"Oh no," Megan said, glancing down at her phone. "How could this have happened? Nothing's showing up on the security cameras we've set up."

"You think there's some other secret passage they know about that wasn't on the American embassy blueprints?" Jordan asked.

"That's always possible," Megan replied, although she looked like she really hoped that wasn't the case.

"By the way, don't you feel like the timing is a little too ironic?" Tanner asked, glancing towards the stage.

"Of course. Because now is definitely the perfect time for something to go wrong," Noah said, just as the string quartet stopped playing and the American ambassador walked onto the stage.

"Well, hello, out there!" Ambassador Vincent said, with a chuckle. "And welcome. Welcome to the US embassy. And welcome to Adria, my home for the last forty-five years. I may still have Tennessee in my voice, but Adria is in my heart."

"At least the guy knows how to please a crowd," Jordan commented, as the crowd gave a collective _awww_.

"Someone needs to tell Grace though!" Megan whispered, as we all stood up for 'Hail to the Chief'. "We can't just leave her on her own, not with the Scarred Man and Ms. Chancellor missing."

"Don't worry, I think Rosie's already on it," I said, looking up at the balcony. Sure enough, Rosie and Grace were conversing, by the part of the balcony overlooking the stage. Judging by the looks on their faces, the conversation wasn't going well.

"Speak of the devil, guess who finally decided to show up?" Noah said bitterly, looking behind the stage. Sure enough, I saw Dominic, weaving his way through the wings of the stage. Our whole group collectively held in a breath, as we watched Dominic.

"Okay, and how long until shit goes down?" Jordan asked uneasily, as the American president took the stage.

"It is so good to be here tonight, with our friends and our neighbours," the American president said, raising a glass to my father and the Russian president. I practically felt the tension between the three men. It would take a lot more than a fancy party to resolve the deep-standing issues between the United States and Russia.

A movement out of the corner of my eye caught my attention. I saw Dominic quickly approaching my father and the Russian president. He was holding something black and shiny in his hand, although I couldn't tell what it was from this distance. However, I wasn't the only one who noticed the black object in Dominic's hand.

"Guys, I think shit's going down now," I said, as a feral scream echoed throughout the party hall. Because at that exact moment, Grace had thrown herself over the railing of the balcony and straight onto Dominic's back.

* * *

I watched in horror as Grace and Dominic crashed onto the ground together. The black, shiny object flew out of Dominic's hand. I quickly realized it was a perfectly harmless iPhone. However, the damage had already been done. The Secret Service agents instantly surrounded Grace and Dominic, preventing the crowd from seeing what had happened. The American president quickly made a joke, while my father and the Russian president were pulled aside by a couple of the Secret Service agents.

"Damn, bro, your girl's got nerve," Tanner said.

"Nerve would be an understatement," I said, as I looked on in horror. Grace had really outdone herself this time. There were no words to describe how I currently felt. Sure, we had planned on exposing Dominic and Ms. Chancellor, perhaps through tipping off the authorities or quietly shutting them down. Grace jumping on Dominic and causing a big scene had not been part of the plan.

Nonetheless, the party continued on, as the American ambassador and president both made speeches. However, I couldn't help but watch as both Grace and Dominic were hauled off by Secret Service agents, under the watchful eye of Ms. Chancellor.

"Damn, so now Secret Ninja Lady decides it'd be a great time to show her face," Tanner commented. Again, I couldn't help but feel the timing was a little too ironic. I noticed Rosie approaching our table.

"What happened up there?" I asked.

"I didn't even have time to stop Grace," Rosie said regretfully, as she sat down. "One minute, everything was fine and the next, Grace was launching herself off the balcony and onto the Scarred Man."

"To be honest, I don't think anyone would have had time to stop Grace," Megan said.

"If there's one way to get everyone's attention, then that's definitely it," Noah said bitterly. "After all, we know how much Grace loves being in the spotlight."

"Noah, this isn't the time for this," Megan warned. It was so obvious that Noah was still mad at Grace; however, his friend drama was the last thing we needed, after everything that had just happened.

"Oh please, as long as Grace keeps pulling more stunts like that, then those arguments will always be valid," Noah said, sounding pissed off.

"Noah –" Megan pleaded.

"No, Megan, not now," Noah said, as he stood up and took off. I looked after him, wondering if I should follow him. However, I decided against it, figuring he'd need the alone time to sort out his thoughts.

"Ugh, I just wish Noah would get over himself and apologize to Grace. I'm honestly sick of all this pointless drama," Megan said, putting her head down in defeat.

"He has to come around, right?" Rosie said, looking in the direction that Noah had run off.

"He better. I mean, he can't stay mad at Grace forever, right?" Megan asked. However, we all stayed silent. Given Noah's recent displays of emotion, there was no telling when he'd calm down.

I suddenly jumped when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I turned around to find my father staring down at me, with cold, hard eyes.

"Alexei, we are going home," my father said curtly. I didn't dare argue with him. Even though the party had just started to pick up, Grace's crazy antics had brought it to a grinding halt. There was no point in staying any longer, now that everyone's attention had been diverted.

"Yes, father," I replied, standing up. I nodded goodnight to everyone, not daring to break the silence that had fallen in our group. Because honestly, no words could truly describe the gravity of what had happened tonight.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between June 8 and June 16.**

 **Unfortunately, that's the last of the Gralexei scenes in All Fall Down. But there's still plenty of action coming up; after all, the G-20 has only just started and I've still got a few surprises up my sleeve! Stay tuned for more G-20 fun!**


	26. Chapter 26 - Where's Grace?

**Wow, for once I'm actually posting a chapter earlier instead of later! I wanted to get this posted and out of the way before I get super busy with work and other personal things over the next week and a half.**

 **I went out on a bit of a limb with these next few G-20 chapters. I wrote these next few chapters later than the other ones in Falling for You (I had already started posting the first few chapters of Falling for You when I wrote this chapter and the next few coming up). I really wanted to explore the G-20 summit more and create more buildup to what happens at the end of All Fall Down but I wasn't sure if that would just stretch things out too much. Hopefully, it was worth the creative risk!**

 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Guest: Glad you enjoyed the chapter! I feel like these next few chapters might also do some crazy things to your emotions so get ready for that.**

 **A New Look: I hope this next chapter finds you well! I agree, it definitely took a while to get that Gralexei ship going but I can't wait for all those Gralexei scenes in See How They Run!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Six: Where's Grace?

Another day, another tux, I thought to myself as I tied my gold bow-tie. The G-20 summit in Valancia was off to an excellent start, aside from Grace's little incident last night at the party at the American embassy. Tonight, the palace was hosting a formal dinner and dance for all the visiting world leaders and the ambassadors stationed in Adria. Naturally, I was required to attend with my father and the ambassador. The invitation called for a black-tie dress code, which was why I was decked out in another tuxedo.

I spritzed on a bit of cologne as a finishing touch. After checking that my tie was straight and my hair was sitting the right way, I grabbed my phone and my wallet from my desk before heading out the door. My father, the ambassador, and Mikhail were already waiting by the main doors when I got there. My father gave me the once-over, zeroing in on my gold bow-tie. He raised an eyebrow at me, a look of disapproval in his eyes. I sighed, fully aware that I was breaking the rules of the black-tie dress code by wearing a gold bow-tie instead of a black one.

As much as I hated to admit it, Tanner and Jordan were onto something when they said that I needed to lighten up and wear more colours. That blue tie they forced me into yesterday added a nice pop of colour to my suit. As a result, I got quite a few compliments on it.

Today, I thought I'd switch things up again with the gold bow-tie. I didn't think the colour was too out-there, compared to Tanner's extravagant colour choices, and it seemed appropriate for the event at the palace tonight. However, the look on my father's face begged to differ. He just shook his head as he and the ambassador headed out to the limo. I was about to follow them when a hand on my shoulder stopped me in my tracks.

"Alexei, can I just say you look very handsome tonight," Mikhail said, slowly looking up and down my outfit. "That gold bow-tie really suits you."

"You think so?" I asked.

"Of course. I still find it hard to believe how much you've grown up over the past few years," Mikhail said, tears shining in his eyes. He looked like a father who was proud of his son. I realized with a jolt that I was the son and Mikhail was the father, so to speak.

I had always wanted my father to be proud of me. He never gave me more than a stiff nod or a gruff congratulations for anything I had accomplished in my life. Yet, I suddenly remembered everything Mikhail had told me about his life and how he was able to find happiness again through me. Right then and there, I realized how lucky I was to have Mikhail in my life. He may not have been my biological father but I knew he loved me unconditionally and would die for me if it came down to it.

I looked right into Mikhail's eyes, the love and pride for me so evident. I smiled sincerely at him. Mikhail surprised me by pulling me in for a tight hug. When he pulled away, he briefly gazed at me, a wistful look in his eyes. That look quickly disappeared, replaced by a neutral expression.

"I mean it when I say you look good tonight," Mikhail said. "Would you like me to take a picture for you?"

"Sure, that'd be great. Thanks." I handed Mikhail my phone. I stood by the wall, near the floor-to-ceiling windows that framed the main doors of the embassy. I turned slightly, sticking my hands into my pockets. I stared off into the distance, not looking directly at the camera. After a few seconds, Mikhail handed my phone back to me. I took a look at the picture. My body was more or less facing the camera. My face was captured at an angle, not quite straight on but not a complete profile either. The late afternoon sun streaming in through the windows hit my face in all the right places, highlighting my angular features, my dark hair styled into a tall quiff, and my gold bow-tie.

"Wow," Mikhail breathed, as he looked at the picture. I had to admit, I looked pretty good. Surprising myself, I posted that picture to Instagram. I rarely posted on social media but I felt like that picture was something worth sharing. Almost immediately, I started getting likes and comments.

"We should probably head out before your father and the ambassador wonder what's holding us up," Mikhail said. I nodded in agreement, putting my phone back in my pocket. I walked to the limo with Mikhail, expecting to see my father fuming mad. However, my father and the ambassador seemed very at ease as they talked, their pre-party cigarettes in hand. They didn't seem to mind that Mikhail and I had gotten held up.

Mikhail opened the limo door for us and I climbed in after the ambassador and my father. I settled in for the ride to the palace. Unfortunately, the line of limos heading to the palace was even longer than it had been the night of the credentials ball.

After what felt like forever, we finally rolled into the palace gates. A couple limos ahead of us, I saw Ambassador Vincent, Ms. Chancellor, and the American President and First Lady getting out. I blinked in surprise, sure that I had done a double take. But as I looked again, I only spotted four figures. No Grace. That was strange. Maybe she was riding with Megan and her mother in another limo.

Soon, a palace guard was opening the door of our limo. I took a deep breath as I climbed out, preparing myself to walk down the red carpet. I plastered a smile on my face as I made my way down the receiving line, full of members of the royal family and important palace officials. I made sure to leave a good impression on everyone, by shaking hands and making small talk, just like my father had taught me.

"Your Royal Highness," I said, with a bow, as I approached Princess Ann.

"Alexei, dear, no need for formalities," Princess Ann said, with a laugh. She pulled me in for a quick hug then kissed each cheek of mine, in the European fashion. She stepped back, taking in my outfit. "You look very handsome, Alexei. I'm sure if your mother was here, she would be taken aback."

"Thank you," I replied politely. It was then that I noticed the boy standing next to Princess Ann. He looked like he was my age or a bit younger. He must have been Prince Thomas, the future heir to the throne and the most eligible teenage boy on the market.

"Your Royal Highness," I said to the prince, making sure to bow before him.

"Thanks for coming," Prince Thomas said, looking right at home in the receiving line. I gave him a friendly smile before continuing down the receiving line with my father and the ambassador. Once we made it through the receiving line, I immediately started looking for Tanner and Jordan. However, a stern look from my father stopped me in my tracks.

"We're going to circulate before the dinner starts," my father stated. I wasn't surprised that he wanted to foster more diplomatic relations. I followed him and the ambassador over to the bar, where they grabbed a couple of cocktails. I grabbed a bottle of water to stay hydrated. This looked like it was going to be a long night.

My father dragged me along as he talked to just about every world leader present for the G-20 summit. I did my best to stay out of the way, only speaking when addressed to and making sure to greet everyone properly.

After the cocktail hour finished, we headed over to our assigned dinner table. Russia was assigned to sit with Germany. I politely greeted the Russian president, the German chancellor, and the German ambassador as I sat down. I noticed Rosie sitting to my left and gave her a friendly smile.

"Hi, Rosemarie, how has your evening been?" I asked.

"Bor-ing," Rosie said, stretching out the syllables. "I had to talk to all these boring people." She huffed, emphasizing her point. I couldn't help but smile.

"Same here. At least we get to sit together during dinner."

"I probably would have died of boredom if I was stuck at a table full of adults," Rosie said, sticking out her tongue.

"Then be careful you don't die of boredom from listening to Alexei talk about Grace non-stop." I whipped around in my seat, ready to take out whoever had made that comment.

"Geez, bro, calm down, will you? I'm sure you don't want your salad ending up on the floor," Jordan said, with a laugh. He was holding a tray full of salads, the first course.

"You're lucky you're on waiter duty or I seriously would have punched you," I said, as Jordan put a salad in front of me.

"Besides, Grace is awesome!" Rosie chimed in. "I could never get sick of her. Speaking of Grace, where is she?" During the entire cocktail hour, I hadn't seen Grace once. I was hoping she'd be here but given that she hadn't been in the limo with her grandfather, chances were slim that she'd be here.

"The American ambassador's table is in my section," Jordan said. "I can keep an eye out for her if you'd like."

"Thanks, man," I said, digging into my salad. It was really fresh and delicious, with arugula, cucumber, avocado, and tomato in a garlic herb vinaigrette.

The speeches soon started. I took a moment to look around the ballroom, taking in my surroundings. It seemed like the palace had gone for a Mediterranean-themed party, to highlight the very best of Adria.

The next two courses, a minestrone soup and a hummus and pita platter, were soon brought out. I tried my hardest to pay attention to the speeches. Most of them were pretty run-of-the-mill but a few of them were really entertaining, like the speech made by the American ambassador and the American president. With the ambassador's charisma and the president's sense of humour, they had captivated the whole audience and were met with a standing ovation.

Soon, the waiters came around to clear the soup bowls and bring out the entrées. I noticed Jordan approaching our table, a dismal look on his face.

"I got bad news, bro," Jordan said, setting a plate of grilled salmon and orzo in front of me. "Grace isn't at the American ambassador's table."

"Does that mean Grace isn't here at all tonight?" Rosie asked.

"Most likely," Jordan replied, taking away mine and Rosie's soup bowls.

"That's strange," Rosie said, once Jordan had left. "Everyone else is here." I glanced around the room. Tanner was sitting with the South Korean and Japanese officials. Lila and Noah were sitting together. Megan was sitting with her mother at the American ambassador's table. I glanced over at my father. Luckily, he was engrossed in conversation with the Russian president and German chancellor. Nevertheless, I lowered my voice just in case he was listening.

"Maybe she isn't feeling well," I said.

"She seemed fine yesterday," Rosie protested. I raised an eyebrow at her, reminding her of Grace's little stunt last night.

"Okay, you're right. Grace probably isn't fine," Rosie relented. "I climbed up to her window after the party last night. I wanted to talk to her but she wouldn't let me in. All she did was tell me to be careful out there." There was Grace again with the strange lines.

"Grace has seen a lot, far more than any of us. She's got a lot going on in her head."

"That's an understatement." Rosie rolled her eyes before turning serious again. "I really hope Grace will be okay."

"Me too." I couldn't keep the sadness out of my voice. Grace had not been okay for a very long time. I had hoped that our talk the other night would have helped her but it obviously hadn't, not if she was still pulling crazy stunts. I didn't know what else could possibly help her. Surely, her grandfather and Ms. Chancellor had plans for her but there was no way of knowing how much help they'd be. There were so many people who wanted her to get better; yet, she still kept herself trapped in her walls. At this point, I hoped that saving her wouldn't be a futile effort.

The dessert, a honey, pistachio, and fruit tart, was brought out. I smiled in amusement at how quickly Rosie had gobbled hers down. I noticed her sneakily eyeing the rest of mine.

"Do you want it?" I asked, gesturing to my tart.

"No thanks. I'm so full," Rosie said, shaking her head. The look on her face said otherwise though.

"Here, take it." I pushed my plate towards Rosie. She finally relented and just as quickly gobbled down the rest of my tart.

"Thanks, Alexei." Rosie had a sheepish smile on her face as she dabbed at her mouth with a napkin.

"No problem." I returned her smile. I noticed that various couples were starting to head over to the dance floor. The dance portion of the evening must have started. My father, along with the Russian ambassador and the Russian president, stood up.

"I'm going for a smoke break," my father stated. "Can I trust that you will be on your best behaviour for the rest of the evening?"

"Of course," I replied. Being on my best behaviour tonight wouldn't be an issue, especially since Grace wasn't here.

"Good. You are free to go," my father said, a rare hint of a smile on his face. He walked off towards one of the smoking rooms. I turned towards Rosie.

"So, what do you say, shall we go find the others?" I asked.

"Of course!" Rosie exclaimed, practically bouncing out of her seat. We soon found Tanner, Jordan, Megan, Noah, and Lila sitting at an empty table in the corner.

"Yo, we match," Tanner called out. I was momentarily confused as I took in his burgundy tuxedo. However, I quickly spotted his gold bow-tie and the cloud of gold glitter that coated his hair.

"Wow, hardcore twinning much?" Noah asked, with a smirk, as he looked between me and Tanner.

"I was going to say, you look really good, Alexei," Lila said. For once, she sounded sincere and not flirtatious.

"Thank you," I replied, with a soft smile.

"Can we just talk about that Instagram pic though?" Tanner said. "Like _damn_ , bro. Did you turn into a model overnight or what?" Everyone else nodded in agreement. I blushed in embarrassment.

"It was just a quick picture that Mikhail took," I replied, trying to downplay it.

"Sure," Jordan said sarcastically, rolling his eyes. "I wouldn't be surprised if you had a whole photoshoot."

"Come on, Alexei's not like that," Lila argued. I gave her a grateful look. She really did know me well, maybe even better than Tanner and Jordan did.

"See? It was just the one picture," I said, pulling up the camera roll on my phone. I passed my phone around for everyone to see, although it was mostly for Tanner and Jordan's benefit.

"Alright, whatever you say, bro," Jordan said, holding up his hands in defence.

"Yo, is that Secret Ninja Lady and the Scarred Dude on the dancefloor?" Tanner asked. I turned to look at the dancefloor. Sure enough, Ms. Chancellor and Dominic were dancing together. Although their faces held neutral expressions, they seemed to be conversing in hushed, low tones.

"Damn, that is them," Noah said. "I never thought I'd see them dancing together."

"How else could they discuss sketchy plans without sneaking off to a secret room?" Megan said. "I still feel like something's going to go down soon."

"Like what?" Tanner asked incredulously. "Murder? Arson?"

"Actually, yes," Megan replied. "In case you haven't noticed, the Scarred Man is capable of doing some pretty lethal things. I wouldn't be surprised if he hits his target tonight."

"Shouldn't we be doing something about that?" Rosie asked. "I can follow the Scarred Man around again."

"As much as I'm for that idea, it didn't exactly work last night, remember?" Noah pointed out.

"I can try again!" Rosie protested. "I'll be better this time, I promise."

"If needed, Rosie, you can certainly tail Dominic," I said, being the voice of reason. "However, we have no definitive proof that Dominic or Ms. Chancellor will do something tonight."

"I still think we should be prepared, in case something does happen," Megan said.

"You got any plans of attack?" Jordan asked. "Because I think we're running a little short on ideas here." Megan opened her mouth like she was about to say something. Instead, she stared open-mouthed at something behind me. I turned around, wondering what could have stopped Megan short.

"Hello, everyone. I hope you're all having a lovely evening," Ms. Chancellor said. She was standing next to our table, Dominic at her side.

"Yes, we are, Ms. Chancellor," Lila said, in her suck-up voice.

"Everything's been great, especially the food," Noah said, a dreamy look in his eyes. "That tart was something else. I don't think I've ever had anything so good."

"The palace has certainly outdone itself tonight. Don't you think so, Dominic?" Ms. Chancellor said, turning to look expectantly at Dominic. He just nodded in response.

"Then it's certainly a shame that Grace isn't here to enjoy the party," Tanner said, giving me a suggestive look. If there weren't so many people around, I definitely would have punched him. He seriously lacked a filter and always said everything that came to mind. It usually led to awkward situations that were completely avoidable, all because Tanner couldn't keep his mouth shut.

"As you can imagine, Grace hasn't been feeling well," Ms. Chancellor started, as she and Dominic exchanged an uneasy look. "We have someone looking after her at the embassy. We're hoping she can get some rest tonight."

"Do you think Grace will be able to attend the G-20 finale tomorrow?" Rosie asked. "I wouldn't want her to miss the fireworks."

"We'll have to see how she's feeling," Ms. Chancellor said. "After all, it would be a shame if she was unable to attend." Something sounded off about that last sentence. Maybe it was Ms. Chancellor's tone of voice or the way it sounded so foreboding. Either way, it didn't sound good. I started fearing that something bad might happen to Grace, and soon.

"I'm hosting a party tomorrow night at the cliffs to watch the fireworks," Lila said. "And everyone's invited." I was pretty sure Grace was the last person Lila would invite to her party but she was probably sucking up to Ms. Chancellor, as usual.

"I don't see why Grace can't come to Lila's party," Megan chimed in. "We'll all be there. We can keep an eye on her and make sure someone is with her at all times."

"I appreciate your efforts to help but Grace is in good hands," Ms. Chancellor said, effectively shutting us down. "We have a team of well-educated medical personnel at the embassy constantly checking on Grace and evaluating her health. I trust them to make decisions about Grace's well-being. Thus, I can assure you all that Grace is well-cared for and safe at the embassy." Everything that Ms. Chancellor said sounded very wrong to me. I looked over at everyone else, to see if they felt the same way but their faces just held neutral, albeit slightly sad, expressions. I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay composed. However, it didn't work, not when the thought of Grace getting hurt and me not being there to protect her permeated my mind.

If Ms. Chancellor, or anyone else, thought they could harm Grace in any way, then they would be in for one hell of a fight against me. But if I wasn't there to protect Grace and she got hurt, then I would never hear the end of it from Jamie. I'd probably also get more lectures from my father about caring too much for Grace. I couldn't stop myself from caring about Grace though. Not when she needed someone to be there for her, someone to believe in her and let her know everything would work out. If I hadn't stepped up to be that person, then who knew what would have happened to her, out on the street that night? What if she had jumped off the wall again, or worse, the cliffs? What if she had hurt herself and no one was there for her? I started panicking at that thought. I wouldn't let Grace hurt herself, no matter how hard she tried. Yet, something deep inside told me I couldn't always be there for her and that sooner or later, something bad was going to happen to her.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between June 20 and June 28. I'll be done with work on June 20 so hopefully I'll have more time for fanfiction after that (I really want to get more written for See How They Run in Alexei's POV this summer).**

 **What do you think will happen next? Stay tuned for more G-20 craziness; after all, the G-20 summit has only just started! ;)**


	27. Chapter 27 - Fancy Seeing You Here

**Here's another long chapter! Also going to include a trigger warning for some stuff that happens at the end of this chapter (I won't spoil anything but I've italicized that part so you can skip over it if needed). Get ready for some banter and some drama!**

 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (oldest to newest), thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **ellag2004: Thanks, I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! I'll try my best, hope this chapter doesn't disappoint! :)**

 **Guest 1: Thanks so much, I'm glad you've been enjoying this fanfic! I really don't want to make you throw up though! :P**

 **Guest 2: I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! Comment as much as you like; I love interacting with my readers and seeing what they think!**

 **Guest 3: I hope this chapter finds you well! I'm glad this fanfic is something that you look forward to! I also can't wait to share See How They Run in Alexei's POV with you guys but it probably won't be out for a while (I'm thinking July or August 2019). Though if I'm able to finish writing all of it this summer, then I can start editing earlier and hopefully I'll be able to post it earlier!**

 **A New Look: I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! Just a warning, the chapter where Alexei leaves is going to be a sad one so get ready for some feels! :P**

 **NaughtyPudding: I'm glad you're enjoying this fanfic! I try my best to stay true to what's in the books, right down to the littlest details, so I'm glad you're finding it pretty accurate!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Seven: Fancy Seeing You Here

I wasn't aware that I was falling, not until the world started spinning around me. I stumbled, trying to catch my balance. I gripped the edge of the table, clinging to it for dear life. The table was solid and sturdy, a far cry from all the problems in my life.

"Alexei, dear, is everything alright?" I looked up to see a hand on my shoulder and Princess Ann looking at me with concern. I wondered what she was doing at our secluded table, instead of mingling in the crowd. Everyone else was looking at me with similar expressions of concern.

"I – I'm fine," I started. "I just got a bit light-headed." Before I knew what was happening, a strong hand wrapped itself around my bicep. I was forced into a chair and my head was thrust in between my knees.

"Breathe." Dominic's soothing voice came from somewhere beside me. I looked up, to find Dominic kneeling next to me. His eyes held a warning look as he immediately shoved my head back in between my knees. Had he guessed that I thought something bad was going to happen to Grace? Did that mean something was actually going to happen to Grace, and soon? What about the murder plans that were discussed in the Russian embassy basement? Were they being put into action soon? My breath suddenly caught at the thought of Grace being murdered. If that happened, Jamie would torture me to no end.

"Breathe, just breathe," Dominic reminded me. I forced myself to take slow, even breaths. I told myself that I was just being paranoid and that nothing would happen to Grace. However, something, maybe an inner gut feeling, told me that Grace was far from safe and that she was in so much more danger than any of us realized. I couldn't shake that feeling, no matter how hard I tried.

"Are you going to be okay?" Dominic asked. I looked up again. The warning look in his eyes was gone, replaced by a concerned look.

"Yes, I'll be fine," I said, trying to sound confident. Dominic didn't look convinced though. Nonetheless, he helped me sit up.

"Alexei, what happened back there?" Princess Ann asked, gently placing a hand on my arm. She looked at me with motherly worry, something I hadn't seen in a very long time.

"I was just feeling a bit light-headed, that's all," I repeated. It wasn't entirely a lie. My head was spinning with all those thoughts about Grace, to the point where I felt slightly nauseous. Lila suddenly placed the back of her hand against my forehead. It took everything I had in me not to recoil from her touch.

"Wow, Alexei, you're overheating. Are you sure you're okay?" Lila asked, giving me a skeptical look.

"I'm fine," I said again. "I just got dizzy and lost my balance for a second. Nothing's wrong with me." The last thing I needed was to be coddled; I could take care of myself just fine. Besides, there was no way I could say anything about my fears and worries concerning Grace, not without incriminating Ms. Chancellor or Dominic. I suddenly wondered if Ms. Chancellor had been present at that meeting in the basement of the Russian embassy. After all, there had been a familiar but unidentifiable female voice on speaker phone.

"You sure about that, bro?" Tanner asked, giving me a questioning look. "Because in the span of five minutes, you've triggered just about every one of my BS detectors."

"I'm _fine_ ," I snapped. "I just need a moment to catch my breath and the fact that all of you are hovering isn't helping." Everyone looked at me, clearly taken aback. I just needed a couple of moments to myself to clear my head and organize my thoughts, was that really too much to ask for? Belatedly, I realized just how much I had sounded like Grace. Was she starting to rub off on me? Or had I become so concerned about her that I had started adapting her coping mechanisms too?

"What you need is a glass of water," Dominic said sternly, "And something to eat."

"Already got that covered," Jordan said, setting a tray down on the table. He placed two large glasses of water and a large slice of that honey, pistachio, and fruit tart in front of me. I hadn't noticed him leaving but was glad he had thought to bring me food.

"Thanks," I said, grabbing one glass of water. I forced myself to down the whole thing in slow, even gulps. The water was super refreshing and helped me feel a tiny bit better.

"No problem," Jordan replied. "The kitchen has plenty of leftovers so if you need anything else, just let me know." I nodded at Jordan, giving him my thanks.

"Speaking of leftovers, could we get another round of those tarts?" Noah asked, a note of hope in his voice.

"Please?" Rosie chimed in, looking at Jordan with big, innocent eyes.

"You guys are lucky that you're my friends," Jordan said. "Otherwise, those leftover tarts would have found a nice home in the cooler in my car."

"Like all those hors d'oeuvres?" Tanner asked, a smirk on his face. Jordan just stuck his tongue out at Tanner before heading back to the kitchen.

"Geez, what is with the three of you and your hors d'oeuvres?" Lila asked, looking between me and Tanner. Everyone else looked at us, confused. I didn't blame them.

"It's a long story," I muttered, taking a bite of my tart. Lila just rolled her eyes, muttering something about boys and their stupid inside jokes.

Jordan soon returned with more tarts for everyone. We all dug in as Princess Ann engaged Dominic and Ms. Chancellor in a conversation about politics. The rest of us just sat there awkwardly as we weren't keen on talking about politics.

"Your Highness, there you are!" I looked up to see the prime minister approaching our table. Princess Ann stood up eagerly, greeting the prime minister with cheek kisses.

"How are you? Thank you so much for attending tonight's party," Princess Ann said, her face vibrant.

"My pleasure, thank you for extending the invitation. I was wondering if I could request a moment of your time?" Although the prime minister's tone was friendly, he exchanged a look with Princess Ann. I noticed Ms. Chancellor and Dominic looking at them intently. My stomach turned as my mind went back to the murder plans. Were those going to be discussed tonight?

"Of course," Princess Ann said. She turned towards us. "It was nice to see all of you. Thank you so much for coming tonight. Alexei, take care of yourself, okay?"

"Yes, your Highness," I replied. Princess Ann stood up, allowing the prime minister to take her arm and lead her away.

"I think that's also our cue to leave, Dominic," Ms. Chancellor said, standing up. "We'll leave you kids to your own devices." Dominic took her arm and led her back onto the dance floor. We all stared at Ms. Chancellor and Dominic, as they started dancing again. I had to admit, it was weird seeing them together like that.

"Hey, where did Ninja Junior go?" Tanner asked. After a quick scan of the table, I noticed Rosie was gone.

"I could have sworn she was still sitting here a second ago," Noah said, looking as confused as I felt. In typical Rosie fashion, she had disappeared without any of us noticing.

"Found her. Looks like she's not alone," Jordan said, nodding towards the dance floor. Sure enough, Prince Thomas and Rosie were dancing together.

" _Damn_ , I wondered how she scored him," Tanner said. Lila pursed her lips, like she wasn't happy to see Rosie with Prince Thomas.

"Especially since he's the most coveted teen boy on the planet," Noah said, looking at them with bewilderment.

"At least they look cute together," Megan said, as we watched Prince Thomas and Rosie dance.

"Hey, that could be you and Grace but she's playing you," Tanner said, elbowing me. I didn't miss the dirty look Lila gave me and Tanner.

"Don't remind me," I muttered. I often thought about that time I had danced with Grace. I wished I could dance with her again. However, my father's orders and her constant absences made that nearly impossible, to the point where I wasn't sure if it'd ever happen again.

"Oh, don't tell me _you're_ missing Grace too," Tanner said, looking over at Noah. Noah looked visibly surprised while Megan and Lila took on suspicious looks. I cursed Tanner and his damn mouth.

"I don't feel that way about her," Noah said, immediately clearing up the air. "But yeah, she was a pretty decent friend. She did do some shitty things that I wasn't happy about but I was kinda worried when she didn't show up tonight. And then with all that stuff Ms. Chancellor said about her, damn, it sounds like she's been going through a lot. Maybe I've been too hard on her." Megan and I looked at each other in surprise. Had Noah finally decided to get over himself?

"Well, only one way to find out, you've got to talk to her again," I said. Noah took on a deer-in-the-headlights look.

"Face it, Noah, you're just going to make things worse if you don't," Megan said. I had to agree with her. The longer Noah dragged it out, the worse it would get.

"I don't know. I already talked to her last night and let's just say, it didn't go well," Noah said, looking down.

"Bro, you gotta try again," Tanner said. "That's what I always tell Alexei. Persistence is key. You gotta keep at it until you finally get something out of her." I gave Tanner a dirty look, remembering all the times he and Jordan had forced me to go over to the American embassy.

"After all, that's how Alexei finally got Grace to spill," Jordan added.

"Wow, if it really was that easy, maybe we should have tried harder," Megan muttered, looking at Noah. He just shrugged, like he didn't know any better.

I glanced back at the dance floor. My eyes landed on Rosie and Prince Thomas, dancing like no one was watching them. He leaned in close and said something to her. Rosie laughed, her eyes sparkling like they were sharing an inside joke.

"How does Rosie know Prince Thomas?" Megan asked, breaking the silence. "That was news to me. I don't think she's ever mentioned that." We all nodded in agreement.

"I wouldn't be surprised if Ninja Junior ended up sneaking into the palace for the hell of it and wandered right into Prince T's bedroom. And then they hooked up and stayed in touch," Tanner said. I sighed. Only Tanner would think of something like that.

"What?" Tanner continued, with a shrug. "If that's the case, then it's seriously disappointing that a twelve-year-old girl is getting more action than you." He looked right at me as he said that.

"Don't remind me," I muttered.

"It's really too bad about Grace though," Megan said. "I really hope she'll be okay."

"You should go check on her," Jordan suggested.

"I tried last night, remember? She clearly didn't want to tell me what the hell was going on," Noah said.

"Bro, what do I keep saying? Persistence is key," Tanner interjected. "You gotta keep at it. You gotta push her until she finally spills. If you gotta break down the walls surrounding the American embassy and climb up to her room, then so be it. Eventually, she's gonna spill." Noah looked at Tanner like he was crazy. I didn't blame him.

"Trust me, I know what I'm doing. That stuff works," Tanner continued, completely oblivious to our doubtful looks.

"Okay, we'll try," Megan said. "But we can't be too hard on Grace. I think that's where we lost her last time." She gave Noah a pointed look.

"And guess who had to swoop in to be the knight in shining armour?" Tanner said, wiggling his eyebrows at me. I glared at him for bringing that up again. It looked like I was never going to live that down.

"Besides, I don't think Alexei would be a welcome face in the American embassy anymore," Jordan pointed out. That was definitely an understatement.

"Fine, we'll see what we can do," Noah relented, looking over at Megan. She nodded, like she was determined to help Grace.

The chamber orchestra hired for tonight's party started playing a melodic sonata. I watched Prince Thomas and Rosie laugh as they spun around on the dance floor. They looked like they were having a lot of fun. Suddenly, I wanted to dance. And even though Grace wasn't here, I knew there was another girl here who would be much more eager to dance with me.

"Lila, would you like to dance?" I asked, turning to face her.

"Of course, Alexei. I'd love to," Lila said, her eyes lighting up. I was about to lead her onto the dance floor when Noah spoke up.

"Um, Megan, would you like to dance?" he asked, a blush creeping over his cheeks.

"Of course," Megan said, with a goofy smile. It was obvious they had feelings for each other. I almost envied how easily Megan and Noah could be together, unlike Grace and I.

"Oh, I see how it is," Tanner said.

"You could be circulating for your hot date," I said, wiggling my eyebrows at him.

"Without my number one wingman? Not a chance," Tanner said, shaking his head.

"Besides, I should probably head back into the kitchen," Jordan said, standing up.

"Well, you guys have fun," Tanner said, sighing as he pulled out his phone.

"Don't worry, bro, we'll be back," I said. Tanner just gave me a skeptical look and turned his attention back to his phone.

I led Lila onto the dance floor. We started moving through a Viennese waltz. It worked well with the quick tempo and intricate runs of the sonata. It was so easy to dance with Lila. We were often dance partners during our mandatory ballroom dancing lessons in gym class. It was where we had really started to get close.

"How have you been?" I asked her, once we were steadily moving with the rhythm.

"Okay," Lila replied, looking anywhere but me.

"Just okay?" I raised an eyebrow at her. Lila sighed as she looked up at me.

"My life has gotten way too complicated ever since I learned about the Society. I still have so many rules and rituals to learn about and it's getting harder to hide my whereabouts from Megan and Noah." I nodded in understanding. The Society members had to go to great lengths to keep themselves and their secrets hidden.

"You'll be fine. I'm sure it'll get easier with time."

"At the rate I'm going, probably not. I've never had to keep track of so many trivial details. Those ladies honestly nitpick over every little thing I do wrong. Especially Ms. Chancellor. She's the worst."

"I can definitely imagine Ms. Chancellor freaking out over little details," I said, smirking at Lila.

"That woman is practically the epitome of a model Society member," Lila said, rolling her eyes. Lila's comment made me smile because it was so true. "Speaking of Ms. Chancellor, she keeps hinting at another girl joining the Society."

"Oh, really?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"Yes. She keeps going on about how it's more fun to learn about the Society with a friend. I have no idea who it could possibly be though."

"It's not Megan. Her mother wasn't Adrian-born." In fact, I was pretty sure Megan was born in the United States.

"I wished it was Megan. The Society and all those ladies would be much more bearable with her there." Lila had a hint of longing in her voice. I couldn't blame her. I would hate to be the only young man in a club of men like my father.

"It's not Rosie, is it?"

"No way, Rosie's too young. Besides, I don't even know if her family has a history of Society membership." I thought about the other Society members that my mother had told me about. I wondered if any of them would have daughters around my age.

"Could it be Grace?" I asked, the thought suddenly popping into my head. Lila made a disgusted face.

"Are you kidding me? Grace?" she practically spat. "I'd rather die than learn about the Society with her." I raised an eyebrow at Lila, giving her a warning look. She was being really extreme, even by her standards. Lila sighed, realizing that I was right. "Still, how could the ladies even _think_ of letting her into the Society? She'll make a huge mess of everything and probably expose the Society to the world." That did sound like a very Grace thing to do.

"Her mother was Adrian-born and a part of the Society. She used to meet up with my mother and Princess Ann all the time to talk about Society secrets."

"Just because Grace's mother was Adrian-born and a member of the Society doesn't mean Grace will automatically become a Society member."

"I think it runs in Grace's family, just like yours." I gave Lila a cheeky grin.

"Don't remind me," Lila muttered. We danced in silence for a moment. I watched as various couples spun around us. We passed Megan and Noah, who were happily dancing. For a second, it was easy to imagine that we were back in the 1800's, when fancy balls were commonplace. Now, they were long gone in all parts of the world except Adria.

"Alexei, are you coming to my party tomorrow night on the cliffs to watch the fireworks?" Lila asked, looking up at me through long, voluminous eyelashes.

"I'm not sure. I'll try," I replied honestly. Lila pouted at me. "My father might want me to attend the G-20 finale in the park with him. I'll try my hardest to come to your party though. I know the cliffs are the best place to watch the fireworks." Lila smiled at me and I couldn't keep myself from smiling back.

The chamber orchestra moved onto a slower song. We shifted to a slow dance, Lila leaning her head against my shoulder. I placed my arms around her waist and pulled her close to me. Although dancing with Lila was so easy, it didn't feel right to me. Not when Grace was the one I wished to hold in my arms.

"Is everything okay?" Lila asked, looking up at me.

"Yes –" I started before a sudden movement caught my eye. Dominic, weaving his way through the crowd. Although he looked casual, his eyes kept shifting around, like he was making sure no one was watching him. I looked around, trying to see if anyone else had noticed Dominic's suspicious behaviour. Megan, Noah, and Rosie were still dancing. Tanner was taking a selfie and Jordan was nowhere to be seen.

"Alexei, what's going on?" Lila gave me a suspicious look.

"I – there's something I need to do," I said abruptly, trying my best to keep an eye on Dominic. He was getting closer to the edge of the ballroom. I had no idea where Dominic could possibly be headed, only that he looked like he was up to something and that I had to follow him before something bad happened.

"Can it wait?"

"Um…" As I looked over at Dominic again, I noticed that he kept his eyes on a nondescript door framed by a couple of portraits. That must have been his destination. He was almost out of the ballroom now and I couldn't lose sight of him, not before he disappeared to do who knows what.

"Alexei, what aren't you telling me?" Lila had a seething look in her eyes and I couldn't blame her. However, there was no way I was dragging her into Grace's Scarred Man business, not with everyone who was already involved. I quickly scanned the room, to see if anyone else had noticed something was up. Unfortunately, everyone was still preoccupied, oblivious to Dominic's getaway. I suddenly felt like the only crazy person in a room full of sane people. I wondered if this was how Grace felt every time she insisted that a scarred man had murdered her mother.

I scanned the room for Dominic again. I swore in Russian when I saw that he was so close to the door. Just a few more steps and he'd be gone. I had to act fast, before it was too late. Acting on impulse, I pushed myself away from Lila, letting go of her. Her arms fell to her sides, her face taking on a dejected look.

"I'm sorry, Lila," I said, knowing full well that this was going to hurt her. "I hate leaving you like this but I need to go. I enjoyed dancing with you." I was hit with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu as I gave her a low bow. As an afterthought, I gently took her hand and kissed the back of it. I briefly glanced at her, hating myself for leaving her, before turning in the direction Dominic had disappeared to.

I wove my way through the dancing couples, trying my best not to run into anyone. It reminded me of the credentials ball earlier this summer, where I left Grace on her own. Only that time, I was running away from my problems. This time, I was running right into them.

I headed towards the door that Dominic had entered. To my surprise, the door was unlocked. I crept through, closing it softly behind me. I found myself in a dark stone hallway. It was much cooler here than in the ballroom. I shivered, although I wasn't sure if it was from the cold or the ominous feeling creeping down my back. I spotted Dominic up ahead, seemingly oblivious to my presence. He walked with quiet but sure footsteps. He didn't have a torch or a flashlight with him to light the way, suggesting that he knew these secret palace hallways well. I didn't dare use my phone's flashlight app, for fear of giving myself away.

Dominic soon turned onto a steep, spiralling staircase. I waited until he had climbed up one full rotation then followed him up. I tried to keep my steps light and even. However, the worn-down staircase made that difficult. There were loose stones everywhere and I really had to concentrate on not falling.

Many steps later, I found myself on a small landing. It was dimly lit, with a few ancient torches lining the walls. Again, I didn't dare grab one to light the way. Besides, I could still see Dominic pretty clearly.

The hallway gradually got darker as it twisted and turned. I had no idea which part of the palace we were in but this was definitely not for tourists. I only recognized where I was when I passed a familiar set of French doors. I knew that if I went through those doors, I would find a small, private balcony. I shuddered at the memory of my father tackling me onto that balcony for dancing with Grace.

The familiar second-floor hallway was almost pitch black. I knew that if the lights were on, I would see life-sized portraits of former kings and queens. Suddenly, Dominic stopped. I pressed myself against the wall, hiding in the shadows. I heard a door creaking open and hushed voices conversing in Adrian. I crept closer to the door, trying my best to stay in the shadows.

"Good. You made it. What took you so long?" It came from a harsh male voice. It almost sounded like the prime minister's voice but I couldn't be sure.

"I had to wait for the right opportunity to escape." That came from Dominic.

"For a second, I thought you were reconsidering our plans," the first voice said. My stomach immediately dropped. They had to be talking about the murder plans. What else could it possibly be?

"No, of course not," Dominic replied. "It will be done."

"When?" a third voice chimed in. It was distinctly high-pitched and feminine. Could it be Ms. Chancellor? Was she in on the murder plans too? I suddenly feared for Grace, who was living under the same roof as a potential traitor and murderer. She was in so much danger, more than I ever could have imagined. I grabbed my phone and started recording the conversation, as a precautionary measure.

"We started discussing these plans long ago," the first voice said sharply. "You need to end it now, before it gets any worse."

"I will. Swear on my life. You can take my word for it," Dominic said.

"Good. Because you know what will happen if you don't successfully complete these plans," the female voice said. There was a brief silence before the first voice spoke up again.

"When are you going to make it happen?"

"Tomorrow night," Dominic replied. "It will be over in twenty-four hours."

"Are you sure about that?"

"Yes. Again, I swear on my life," Dominic replied.

"Why didn't you do it tonight? She wasn't here. No one would have suspected a thing," the female voice said. In that instant, I knew the three of them were talking about the plans to murder Grace.

"I …" Dominic started.

"You what?" the first voice demanded.

"I had to double check a couple of small things, to make sure everything will go smoothly," Dominic replied. If I wasn't mistaken, it sounded like there was a hint of apprehension in his voice.

"You sound like you're having doubts. Are you sure you will go through with this?" the first voice asked.

"If you do not want to do this, then I would be more than happy to take your place." I froze at the sound of that deep, raspy voice. It belonged to a fourth person, someone who I hadn't realized was in the room until now.

"Yes, I'm aware of that," Dominic said.

"So, tomorrow night. It'll be done for sure?" the first voice asked.

"Yes. I will personally deliver the body," Dominic said. A shiver ran down my spine. So it looked like the murder plan was actually happening. I had to think of some way to protect Grace, and fast.

"Good. We're all counting on you to get this done," the female voice said. It was silent for a moment before the first voice spoke.

"Now that we have that sorted out, I suppose –" A quiet text tone suddenly sounded through the air. With a start, I realized it came from my phone. I silently cursed as I pulled up the notification bar.

" _bro where tf are u? ? ?_ " It was a text from Tanner that didn't look good.

"What was that?" the female voice asked. I was about to silence my phone when the text tone sounded again. Unsurprisingly, it was another text from Tanner.

" _lila said u ran off. wtf are u doing? ? ?_ " I tried to silence my phone but instead fumbled and ended up setting my phone to maximum volume. Soon, a string of texts came in, making my text tone sound over and over. I heard footsteps coming out of the door. There was no way I could risk any more time trying to get my phone to shut up. I shoved my phone in my pocket and bolted, not caring about my loud, pounding footsteps or my text tone ringing clearly from my pocket. I just had to get away before I got caught for eavesdropping. I heard footsteps behind me and forced myself to run faster.

 _Just as I was about to turn onto the steep, spiralling staircase, a strong arm wrapped itself around me. I screamed, trying to wriggle myself out of its grip. A hand clamped itself over my mouth, forcing me to be still. When I felt the pressure against my neck, I realized what was happening. I was suddenly brought back to the self-defence classes at the gym. My father had put me in a chokehold then, except he had let go before I could lose consciousness. This time, the pressure continued, with no signs of stopping._

 _A dark blackness suddenly washed over me. I tried to struggle against it and regain my consciousness but it was a lost cause. The arm around my neck tightened, cutting off my airways. I couldn't keep my eyes open, no matter how hard I tried. As I struggled to hold on, I felt a cold, cigarette-smoke-laced breath against my ear._ I just barely heard that deep, raspy voice. It was a voice I would recognize anywhere, one that haunted my childhood memories. It whispered to me in Russian, the last thing I remembered before I succumbed to the dark blackness.

"Fancy seeing you here, _son_."

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 5 and July 13. Who do you think was talking with Dominic? Do you think Alexei will be okay? Stay tuned to find out! Plus, a certain social media app will make an infamous return next chapter, any guesses? ;)**

 **If I counted correctly, then there are only going to be six chapters left in this fanfic! Thanks so much to everyone who supported this fanfic, regardless of when you started reading. If I made a Facebook page or an Instagram account for my fanfic stuff, would you guys be interested in following that? I'd post little snippets of what I'm working on, as well as when I'm about to post a new chapter. I realized it would have made more sense to do this earlier but I didn't think of it until recently. Let me know what you think!**


	28. Chapter 28 - In Too Deep

**Hey guys, hope you've had a good couple of weeks! Here's another long-ish chapter.**

 **I've made an Instagram and a Twitter for my fanfiction stuff. My username is smartiegirl800 (surprise, surprise) on both those platforms so you can check those out if you'd like. I'll probably follow back anyone who follows. I feel like I'll be using my Twitter more because it's easier to post quick updates but I'll definitely be sharing tons of sneak peeks of both Falling for You and See How They Run in Alexei's POV on my Instagram!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (oldest to newest), thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Guest 1: I'm glad you were excited for that last update! I hope this chapter finds you well!**

 **Guest 2: I didn't realize Lila was coming off so strong but I suppose that was the way I had interpreted her character. I totally agree; Thomas and Rosie would make an adorable couple. I wish there was more of them in the books! Stay tuned to find out what will happen with Alexei's dad!**

 **Guest 3: I hope this chapter finds you well! Feel free to check out my Instagram; I've included details above!**

 **ellag2004: I hope this chapter finds you well! Feel free to check out my Instagram or my Twitter; I've included details above!**

 **A New Look: The scene where Alexei leaves is one of my favourite chapters, in terms of how emotional it gets. I can't wait to share the Spence scene from See How They Run; maybe I'll have to do a sneak peek? ;)**

 **Guest (ERW100456): I'm glad you've been enjoying this story so far! Don't worry about all the comments; it's nice to hear constructive criticism and positive feedback. I view Alexei and Lila as exes who remained close friends so there'd be a bit of touching. Or maybe I'm just taking their relationship too far :P Stay tuned to find out what will happen with Alexei's dad!**

 **Guest (abc123): I'm glad you've been enjoying this story so far! I would like to post more often but I've got a lot of other things going on that do take higher priority than fanfiction. Even though it's summer for me, I'm still quite busy with housework, volunteering, and writing See How They Run in Alexei's POV (I write my chapters way in advance so I have time to go back to edit and sort out any inconsistencies). Feel free to check out my Instagram; I've included details above!**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: I hope this chapter finds you well! I suppose I've interpreted Alexei and Lila's relationship a bit differently from what Ally Carter intended. There weren't a lot of indications of how close they were in the books so I took a few creative liberties and added my own interpretations of Lila's character and their relationship.**

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Chapter Twenty-Eight: In Too Deep

When I finally came to, the first thing I noticed was the bright sunlight. It was a stark contrast to the dark hallway in the palace. I raised my hand to shield my eyes from the light but the movement was sluggish. It felt like it took almost every ounce of energy in me just to move my hand.

"Good afternoon, bro. I hope you had a good nap after being out for more than twelve hours." I turned to see Tanner sitting next to me. Had I really been out for more than twelve hours? It sure didn't feel like it.

"Whoa, take it easy there." I turned to my other side and saw Jordan easing me back down.

"What the hell happened to me?" I asked, my consciousness slowly coming back to me.

"It's a long story," Tanner said, drawing out the words. Ignoring Jordan's protests, I forced myself to sit up, even though it hurt like hell. As I took in my surroundings, I was surprised to find that I was in my room, back at the Russian embassy. How had I gotten here?

"Tanner found you," Jordan said, answering my question. I must have said it out loud without realizing it. "We hauled you to my car and drove you here. Mikhail helped us bring you up here." I glanced towards my desk chair where, sure enough, Mikhail was sitting.

"How are you feeling, Lyosha?" Mikhail asked me.

"Sore. And tired," I replied honestly. My body ached all over, like it had been run over with a steamroller. Mikhail nodded in understanding.

"I brought you some food. I thought it might make you feel better," Mikhail said. I noticed the covered tray sitting on my desk. Mikhail brought the tray over to where I was sitting on my bed. He uncovered it, revealing fried eggs with kielbasa sausage, syrniki pancakes, and a cup of lemon tea. It was a very traditional Russian breakfast that reminded me of my childhood. I dug in, savouring in the familiar and comforting tastes.

"Good?" Mikhail asked, a small smirk on his face.

"You have no idea," I mumbled around a mouthful of food. Although I enjoyed fancy cuisine, like the dishes served at the palace last night, there was nothing like traditional Russian food. "What time is it?"

"2:00 p.m.," Jordan said, checking the time on his phone. I almost choked on my kielbasa in surprise. I had been out for that long?

"Okay, two questions," I said. "How did you find me and _what the hell happened to me?_ " Jordan looked like he was about to say something but Tanner quickly interrupted him.

"Watch and learn," Tanner said, with a cheeky grin, as he held out his phone to me. I internally facepalmed when I saw it was open to 'My Stories' on Snapchat.

"Don't tell me you made a Snapchat story about what happened to me last night," I groaned.

"That's exactly what I did," Tanner said, his grin widening. "Besides, it does a pretty good job detailing your little adventure last night." If this was anything like the Snapchat story Tanner had made detailing Grace's adventure in the South Korean embassy, then I was going to be in for a short film. I made myself comfortable then clicked on Tanner's Snapchat story.

" _at this fancy party_ " The first Snap was a bored selfie of Tanner.

" _all these ppl dancing and having a good time_ " The screen changed to a picture of the dance floor. I spotted Megan and Noah and Thomas and Rosie dancing.

" _and ive got this huge table all 2 myself #ForeverAlone_ " The next Snap was a picture of the empty table that we had previously been sitting at.

" _someone help me pls. currently dying_ " The screen changed to a dejected selfie of Tanner.

" _BRO WTF R U DOING GET YO ASS BACK 2 THE DANCE FLOOR_ " A slightly blurry picture of me weaving my way through the dancing couples, with Lila staring after me, showed up on the screen.

" _wait my homeboy looks like hes on a mission_ ;o;" The screen changed to a picture of me running towards the door that Dominic had disappeared through.

" _I better go see what hes up to"_ The next Snap was a selfie of Tanner with a determined look on his face, followed by a video of Tanner weaving his way through the dance floor.

I expected to see some shots of the dark hallway or the spiralling staircase next. What showed up on the screen was the last thing that I expected to see. It was a selfie of Tanner with the portrait of Fredrick the First, except both he and Fredrick were decked out with the deer lens. The next Snap was a similar selfie of Tanner and the portrait of Queen Catalina decked out with the flower crown lens. Selfies of Tanner and the portraits of the royal family in various Snapchat lenses kept rolling across the screen.

"Really, bro?" I asked, looking up from Tanner's phone.

"What?" Tanner replied, with an innocent shrug. "I couldn't pass up the opportunity. Besides, when else are you ever going to see former Adrian rulers in flower crowns?" I just rolled my eyes, focusing my attention back on Tanner's phone. Even though I really didn't see the point in Snapchat selfies with past members of Adria's royal family, I had to give Tanner credit for being able to get the dog ears lens on each person in the portrait of King Alexander the Second, his wife, and their two sons.

After an endless stream of selfies, a video of Tanner opening the door popped up on the screen, captioned " _omg sketchiest door ever_ O.O _HERE WE GO_ "

" _HOLY SHIT ITS DARK IN HERE_ " The screen stayed black as the eyes emoji popped up.

" _up we go. Hopefully homeboy is up here_ " The screen changed to a video of Tanner ascending the staircase. The staircase was lit with a jarring white light, like Tanner had aimed his phone flashlight at it.

" _where tf is everyone? ? ? homeboy please be up here"_ The screen changed to a picture of the staircase landing with the lit torches.

" _oh shit do u hear that? ? ?_ " The screen was black but I faintly heard voices conversing in Adrian. I shivered when I realized it was the tail-end of the clandestine conversation I had overheard.

" _OMG WTF IS GOING ON?! WHAT DO I DO NOW?!_ " The screen stayed black but I heard loud, pounding footsteps and the blaring of my text tone.

" _looks like it's a sketchy-ass closet or bust"_ I was just able to spot the outline of a large, antique closet in the dark picture.

The screen switched to a video filmed through the narrow crack in the closet door. I barely made out the outlines of a couple dark figures. I heard voices arguing in Adrian.

" _What have you done?"_

" _Did you get him?"_

" _Nailed it. He should be out for a few hours. Don't worry, he'll be fine."_

" _Now what? Are we just going to leave him there?"_

" _You tell me, what else are we going to do with him? It will raise suspicions if someone sees him in that state. Besides, he should have known better."_ My text tone suddenly sounded again.

" _What is that? I kept hearing it over and over."_

" _Ugh, it's his phone. I'll deal with it."_ That voice cursed in Russian. _"Can you believe it? He was recording our conversation!"_

" _Delete it."_

" _Of course. It's gone. He'll have no proof that we ever had this conversation."_

" _How did he know we were up here?"_

" _Did he follow any of you?"_ There was a brief moment of silence.

" _Come on, let's go before someone notices we're missing. We can talk about this later."_

The screen switched to a selfie of Tanner with a surprised look on his face, captioned " _shit that convo_ ;o; _I hope homeboy is alright"_

" _we clear yet?_ _here goes nothing_ " The screen switched to a video of Tanner slowly opening the closet door then using his phone flashlight to scan both ends of the hallway. It was empty.

" _I think we're good. Homeboy where r u? ? ?_ " A video of Tanner pacing up and down the hallway played next.

" _shit u alright bro? ? ?_ " The next Snap was a video of Tanner zooming in on my face and trying to wake me up.

" _shit I think he's out cold. I may need to get backup"_ A very attractive picture of me, out cold on the floor, showed up next. The screen quickly changed to a front-camera video.

" _Tanner, what are you doing? Get off Snapchat and get your ass over here,_ " video Jordan yelled. In the video, I saw Jordan holding my arms and Noah holding my legs while Tanner was recording both of them, a goofy grin on his face.

" _Just a sec. I need to make sure Alexei sees this when he wakes up."_ Video Tanner cheekily waved at the camera. I rolled my eyes at that.

The screen changed to a video of Tanner and Jordan in Jordan's car. They weren't speaking but the radio was quietly playing in the background. Tanner slowly panned the camera towards the backseat, where my unconscious form was sprawled out.

" _Don't worry, bro, we'll take care of you,"_ video Tanner said. Video Jordan nodded in agreement, keeping his eyes on the road.

" _peace out bro"_ The next Snap was a picture of me lying on my bed. I really did look like I was peacefully asleep, instead of knocked out cold.

Tanner's Snapchat story ended there, bringing up his stories again. I stared down at Tanner's phone in disbelief. What had I just seen?

"What do you think, bro?" Tanner asked, taking his phone back.

"I –" I started. I didn't even know what to think.

"Shocking?" Mikhail asked.

"That's an understatement," I muttered. I didn't know what was more shocking, the fact that my father had willingly knocked me out cold or that Tanner had somehow managed to put all that on Snapchat without getting caught.

"Damn, bro, I still can't believe that about your dad. He's up to some real shady shit," Jordan said, shaking his head.

"I agree; it wasn't right of your father to do that to you," Mikhail said.

"It's not like any of you would have been able to stop him," I muttered, taking a bite of my syrniki. I then turned my attention to Tanner. "Were you really in that closet the whole time, recording everything?" Tanner meekly nodded, not saying a word.

"Damn, I could make so many coming-out jokes right now," Jordan said. Tanner gave Jordan a dirty look.

"What? It's true, you know," Jordan continued, with a shrug. He then turned his attention back to me. "Bro, you should check your phone and see if your dad really did delete that recording." I reached into my dress pants for my phone but panicked when it wasn't there.

"Here, Lyosha," Mikhail said, handing me my phone. "Your father must have taken your phone from you after you passed out. He gave it to me earlier this morning."

"Thank you," I replied. I turned on my phone and clicked on the sound recording app. Sure enough, nothing was there. I checked the recycle bin folder on my phone. Much to my surprise, there were no sound recording files in there. It looked like my father had covered his tracks well.

"It's not anywhere on my phone," I said, trying to keep the disappointment out of my voice.

"Shit, that sucks," Jordan said.

"There's still proof though," Mikhail said, a small smile on his face. I was momentarily confused until I realized what Mikhail was talking about.

"Tanner, your Snapchat story," I said, having a lightbulb moment. "Can you play it again? I want to see which parts of the conversation you caught." Tanner clicked into the relevant videos from his Snapchat story. He turned the volume up, so we could all hear it. He didn't get all of that conversation but he did get the bit at the end where my father said he would be happy to take Dominic's place, as well as the bit where Dominic said he'd personally deliver the body. It wasn't everything but I hoped it'd be enough to prove something was going on.

"That's it?" Jordan asked.

"That's all I got," Tanner replied, with a shrug. He then turned to me. "Alexei, you heard more than that?"

"Way more," I said. I suddenly thought back to that conversation I had overheard, the first time I was in the tunnels. Was that conversation connected with the one I had overheard last night? Something inside me, a gut feeling, told me that they were. I started feeling sick, due to the thought that someone had likely been planning to murder Grace for a long time.

"You okay, bro?" Tanner asked, looking at me funny. I didn't answer him.

"Lyosha, what's going on?" Mikhail asked. He sat down next to me on the bed, gently placing a hand on my arm. He didn't say anything else but looked at me intensely. If there was anyone who knew when something was wrong with me, it was Mikhail. He had always been able to see right through me and know what I was truly feeling, just like I did with Grace.

"The people that I heard talking last night, I think they're planning something big," I started, unable to keep my voice from cracking. After keeping everything to myself for so long, it was weird to finally vocalize it. Mikhail nodded quietly, encouraging me to go on.

I took a deep breath, telling Tanner, Jordan, and Mikhail about everything I had heard and seen. The clandestine conversation in the basement of the Russian embassy, the conversation that started it all. The conversation between Ms. Chancellor and Dominic that Tanner, Jordan, and I had heard when we were down in the tunnels. My father's suspicious behaviour, especially that one meeting he had in the palace. Grace's suspicions about Dominic. Ms. Chancellor's phone call to Dominic that Noah and I had overheard in the secret passageway in the American embassy. And finally, everything that had happened at the party last night.

"Damn, bruh, that's intense," Tanner said, when I finished. "I had no idea you had heard and seen so much shit."

"Tell me about it," Jordan agreed. "I knew there was some sketchy shit going on but _damn_ , you almost seem like you're in too deep."

"Thanks," I muttered sarcastically.

"Maybe your girl's trouble-attracting tendencies have rubbed off on you," Tanner said, with a smirk. I gave him a death glare. I did not attract trouble like Grace did. For me, clandestine conversations just tended to show up at rather inconvenient times.

"You didn't have to keep it all to yourself," Mikhail said gently. "You could have confided in me."

"Or us," Jordan seconded. "We got your back. Bros for life, right?"

"Right," I said, after a split-second hesitation. Tanner, Jordan, and Mikhail all looked at me.

"What aren't you telling us, bro?" Tanner asked, looking right at me.

"I – I didn't want to tell anyone, in case my father found out and tried to hurt any of you," I said, unable to keep my voice from cracking. "I couldn't let that happen to any of you."

"You seriously think your dad would hurt us if he found out you told us?" Jordan asked. "That seems kind of extreme, even for him."

"I wouldn't put it past him," I muttered.

"I agree," Mikhail said, surprising us all. He looked right at me as he continued. "Lyosha, you were right in thinking that your father's been acting really strangely lately. I know for a fact that he's been having a lot of private meetings and phone calls recently. He seems … different, and not in a good way." My stomach dropped. How involved was my father in this plan to murder Grace?

"I'd be careful if I were you," Mikhail continued. "That goes for both of you too, Tanner and Jordan." Tanner and Jordan meekly nodded.

"What's going on?" I demanded. "What do you know that I don't?"

"I don't know any more than you," Mikhail admitted. "However, I do know your father better than anyone else does. And I know when he's up to something. I'm almost afraid to say this but your father is starting to act like the cold-blooded killer I knew back in the Russian Special Forces. You were right to suspect a murder is being planned, Lyosha. There's nothing else that could make your father act this strangely." My heart suddenly skipped a beat. I had been right about my father acting really sketchy. Knowing it was worse than merely suspecting it because now, I couldn't blame my imagination. It was real, more real than I ever imagined it could have been.

"So what do we do now?" Jordan asked. "I don't think the four of us could stop a murder, even if we tried."

"Like I said earlier, I'd advise the three of you to be very careful," Mikhail said. "If you see or hear anything suspicious, try to get tangible proof, without incriminating yourself. There are people I know in the embassy who have connections to law enforcement. They have the power to use that proof and prevent anything from happening."

"Well, we all know who totally failed at that," Tanner said, giving me a look. I glared at him.

"Tanner, your Snapchat story counts as proof too," Mikhail said.

"Really?" Tanner's eyes lit up in surprise.

"Of course. Any electronic video or audio counts as proof. Although I suppose it'd be gone by this time tomorrow," Mikhail mused.

"Right, twenty-four-hour Snap story time limit," Jordan echoed.

"Come on, guys, really? It's _me_ ," Tanner said, like he couldn't believe we were seriously doubting him. "I always save my Snaps and Stories to both my Snapchat Memories _and_ my phone's camera roll, which automatically gets backed up to iCloud. I didn't get the yearbook superlative of 'Best Snap Stories' for nothing. Trust me, my Snaps aren't disappearing any time soon." I was suddenly grateful that Tanner was super obsessed with Snapchat. I had never thought it would come in handy but right now, it was the only evidence we had of last night's murder plan conversation.

"Yeah, how the hell did you _not_ get caught Snapping everything?" Jordan asked incredulously. "Especially since the Murder Gang was, like, two feet away."

"Chill, bro, I got skills," Tanner said, waving Jordan off.

"Who knows, maybe those skills could potentially save someone's life," Mikhail said, with a smile. Jordan glared at Tanner, for getting Mikhail's support.

"Anyways, I gotta leave for work," Jordan said, checking the time on his phone.

"Oh please, you're just leaving because you're jealous of my sick Snap skills," Tanner said, with a grin.

"Jokes on you because I'm your ride back, remember?" Jordan asked, giving Tanner a pointed look. Tanner blanched, his pride disappearing.

"Right," Tanner replied, his voice suddenly small. "We going soon?"

"Just about," Jordan said, as he started packing up his stuff.

"Have a fun ride back, guys," I replied, enjoying the awkward tension between Tanner and Jordan. I gave them a cheeky wave. Jordan waved back while Tanner just gave me an awkward look.

"Alexei, you coming to Lila's party tonight?" Jordan asked.

"Might as well," I replied, with a shrug. It wasn't like I had anything better to do. "You guys going?"

"Wouldn't miss it," Tanner replied, with a grin. It looked like he had recovered from Jordan's earlier burn. Jordan nodded in agreement.

"I'll text you guys later. See you tonight," I said. Tanner and Jordan both waved then headed out of my room, closing the door behind them.

"Eat. Your food's getting cold," Mikhail said. I nodded, forcing myself to choke down the rest of my breakfast. With Tanner and Jordan gone, it was much quieter. On any other day, I would have appreciated the peace and quiet. Yet, after everything that had happened, the quiet was almost disconcerting. It felt like someone was watching me, recording my moves, and waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"How are you feeling about everything?" Mikhail asked quietly.

"I – I don't know," I replied honestly. "More than anything, I'm scared for Grace. I'm scared I won't be able to protect her if, no, _when_ the time comes." I shivered as I said that. Although I could keep denying it all I wanted, sooner or later, something was going to happen to Grace. I suddenly recalled Dominic's words, about how it would be done in twenty-four hours. That had been last night and now, it was already mid-afternoon. Time was running out.

"I understand. I imagine you'd want to keep her safe." Mikhail nodded, giving me a sincere look.

"It's just … I don't understand how everything fits together. It's all so confusing." As if all those previous clandestine conversations hadn't been confusing enough, last night's conversation just made things worse. My brain was starting to hurt from trying to make sense of it all.

"What's confusing you the most?" Mikhail asked gently.

"Dominic's role in this," I replied. That was easily the biggest headache in this whole murder plan debacle. "It seems like Dominic is tasked to commit the actual murder, but if you listen to his tone of voice, it almost sounds like he doesn't want to do it." I grabbed my phone and clicked into Tanner's Snapchat story again. I clicked through to the relevant video and listened to the tail-end of the chilling conversation that was burned into my memory.

"I see," Mikhail said, with a nod. "Dominic does sound a bit unsure. Add in the fact that you said he sounded really unsure in the first conversation you overheard. Do you think he'll actually go through with it? Or could he have other plans?" I hadn't considered that Dominic could have other plans. However, his conversations with Ms. Chancellor complicated things even more. Could those have been his other plans? If so, then what were he and Ms. Chancellor up to? And how could I be sure that Ms. Chancellor wasn't in on the murder plans? For all I knew, Ms. Chancellor's conversations with Dominic could have been about the easiest ways to take down Grace.

"Like what? Grace seemed pretty sure that he was going to kill again. But in those conversations, it seemed like the other people were pushing for Dominic to commit the murder."

"It seems like Dominic is getting orders to kill."

"You think so?" It made sense, in terms of explaining Dominic's reluctance.

Mikhail looked like he wanted to say something but his phone vibrated with a text. He looked down at his phone, frowning.

"What's up?" I asked.

"Your father wants to discuss something with me right now," Mikhail said, as he typed a reply.

"Could it be the murder plans?"

"I'm not sure. Your father has been doing a lot of strange things lately so I'd say anything's possible. Would you like me to keep an eye on him?"

"That'd be much appreciated. Thank you."

"No problem. I'll let you know if he says or does anything suspicious," Mikhail said. He got up then gestured to my empty tray. "Would you like me to take that back to the kitchen for you?"

"Sure, thanks," I said, handing Mikhail my tray.

"I'll talk to you later, okay? Take it easy," Mikhail said, giving me a kind look. He walked out of my bedroom, closing the door behind him. I leaned back against my bed, sighing in frustration. Trying to unravel this whole murder plan was stressing me out. I knew I could have just left it alone and pretended that I didn't know anything but I couldn't. Not when I was already in so deep. I had to figure this out, not just for myself, but for everyone else. I had to do this for Grace's sake. After all, if everything went according to plan, then she would be in grave danger. And I couldn't let anything happen to her.

* * *

 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between July 20 and July 26 (though I'm aiming to post it July 24 or July 25).**

 **This chapter was a bit of a filler chapter but there will be more action next chapter. Any guesses as to which scene from the books Alexei will walk in on?**

 **I realized I miscounted; this is the fifth last chapter and there will be four more chapters after this. I've already got a rough idea of when I'm going to post each chapter so hopefully there won't be any more late chapters! See you in a couple of weeks!**


	29. Chapter 29 - Over the Edge

**As promised, here is the next chapter, posted when I said I would! We're getting close to the end of Falling for You, as this is the fourth-last chapter. Read on for some drama!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

* * *

Chapter Twenty-Nine: Over the Edge

I sat back up, forcing myself to take a deep breath. Mulling over the murder plans wasn't going to make things any better. I needed to clear my head and I knew a shower would do a good job of that. Without hesitation, I headed into my bathroom. I stripped off my formal clothes and took a long, hot shower. It was really refreshing, making me feel much calmer than I had before. After towelling off, I changed into a clean t-shirt and shorts. Just then, my phone rang. I saw Jamie's name pop up on the screen.

"Hey, bro, what's up?" I said, as I answered my phone. I hadn't expected Jamie to call but it was a pleasant surprise.

"You tell me," Jamie said, with a sigh. "Has Grace really been going around and accusing scarred men again?" This didn't sound good. So much for a friendly chat.

"She said it was the real deal this time."

"I don't know about you but do you really expect me to believe her? This isn't the first time Grace has done that kind of stuff."

"Well, I believe her." I was met with stunned silence on the other end of the line. "What? She could use someone on her side, especially after all those years of having no one believe her." If Jamie was offended by my subtle dig towards him, he didn't mention it.

"Okay, fine, so maybe the Scarred Man was the real deal this time. Still, she didn't have to fricking jump him to prove her point." It seemed like Jamie had already spoken to his grandfather about what had happened at the party.

"You know how Grace is and how she tends to act on impulse. There was no way anyone could have stopped her."

"Let me guess, what's your excuse this time? Had to follow daddy's orders?" I was mildly offended. Jamie didn't understand how crucial it was for me to stay on my father's good side. Before I could protest, Jamie continued talking. "Though in all seriousness, how is Grace? There's no way she could have jumped from that height and walked out unscathed."

"I don't know. I haven't seen her since," I replied. "I don't think I'd be a welcome face in the American embassy."

"Have you at least been making an effort to keep her safe and out of trouble?"

"Yes. I sat with her the other night while she talked about everything that was bothering her and made her promise to not do anything without me."

"Good." I could practically imagine Jamie nodding. "So Grace has been staying out of trouble, aside from all this Scarred Man business?"

"Yes. I mean, Grace can't possibly get into any more trouble now, assuming your grandfather has her under lock and key."

"He hasn't mentioned anything but I'd assume Grandpa would have someone keeping an eye on her. But Grace has been having a good time in Adria? Is she making friends?"

"Yes, she's got a group of friends she hangs out with regularly." I didn't mention that there was currently a bunch of friend drama within said friend group or that Grace had dragged said friend group into all her Scarred Man business.

"Good. I'm glad to hear that Grace has people there for her. By the way, don't tell Grace because I want to surprise her but I'm coming to Adria in next week, once basic training finishes. You want to hang out when I'm there?"

"Sure."

"Cool. It'll be nice to see you again. Anyways, I gotta run but I'll talk to you soon."

"Yeah, talk to you later," I said, as Jamie hung up the phone. I wasn't sure how I felt about Jamie coming to Adria again. On the one hand, I was sure that Grace would be ecstatic to see her brother. However, I felt like Jamie had changed so much since starting at West Point. After all, I hadn't seen him in three years. A lot could happen to a person in three years. I wasn't sure if he'd still be the same Jamie that I knew or if we could hang out like we used to.

I heard a knock on my bedroom door and opened it to find Mikhail.

"How was the meeting with my father?" I asked.

"Nothing fancy. It was about tax forms and paperwork. He didn't mention anything about last night," Mikhail said, with a shrug. "There are a couple people who have stopped by to see you."

"Who?" I asked, slightly confused. It wasn't Tanner and Jordan because Mikhail would have just sent them straight up to my room. Besides, they were just here. I didn't think they'd be back already, unless Jordan's shift was suddenly cancelled.

"The guards didn't say. They just told me that a couple kids came by, asking to see you, and are now waiting out front, by the gates." I followed Mikhail out to the gates, to find Megan and Noah.

"Hey, what's up?" I asked, trying not to let my surprise show.

"We thought we'd stop by to see how you were doing after last night," Noah said. Megan gave him a dirty look but he shrugged it off. "To be honest, you kind of scared the shit out of everyone."

"Yeah, sorry," I said, looking down awkwardly. "It looked like Dominic was up to something. I had to follow him, in case anything happened."

"It looks like you made the right decision, if Tanner's Snapchat story was anything to go by," Megan said.

"Yeah, Tanner showed me his Snapchat story just now," I replied. I turned towards Noah. "By the way, thanks for getting me out of that hallway."

"No problem. It was the least I could do," Noah said, giving me a friendly nod. "I can't imagine how you're feeling right now."

"Sore. Confused. Tired."

"No offense but you look like you've seen better days." That was probably true, if I looked as bad as I felt.

"Anyways, Alexei, we need your help," Megan pleaded, sounding pretty desperate. This didn't sound good.

"We just went to see Grace and honestly, I don't know what the hell they've got her on," Noah said. "She's so different; it's making me wonder if she's actually crazy now."

"What do you mean?" I asked, trying and failing to hide my shock. I had just seen Grace two days ago, at the American embassy's party, and she seemed fine. How could she possibly have changed so much in two days?

"They've got her on all these meds, in an attempt to make her better," Megan said. "But she's not better; she's worse." Meds? Was that what Ms. Chancellor meant last night, when she said that Grace was well-cared for? Did she seriously think Grace would get better by taking a bunch of pills?

"She's so shaky and fidgety and she said she can't eat much after taking the meds," Noah said, shaking his head. "It's like they've turned her into an entirely different person."

"It's more than just her physical appearance that's changed," Megan said. "I don't know who they've got her seeing but now Grace is convinced that her mother's death was just an accident." I seriously wondered where that had come from, especially after all the times Grace had vehemently insisted that her mother was murdered, even when no one would listen to her. Was it possible she had been brainwashed into thinking the opposite? I shuddered at the thought of someone messing with Grace's head and forcing false beliefs into her.

"Long story short, Grace has turned into a total nutcase," Noah said. "She told us to leave when we tried to get her to talk or hang out. Like I was going to leave her alone in that state."

"And how am I supposed to be of any help?" I asked, going back to the reason why Megan and Noah had come to see me.

"You're the only one Grace will actually talk to!" Megan exclaimed.

"Me?" I asked, slightly confused.

"Yes, you. I mean, she told you everything and you didn't even have to try," Megan said. I was instantly reminded of that night on the wall with Grace and how she had talked non-stop. I wondered what it would take to get her up on the wall again and just sit with her, until she spilled what was on her mind.

"She trusts you on a whole other level," Noah said. "Come on, man, can't you work your magic or something? Just convince her that her mom's death wasn't an accident and that this new Grace isn't who she's supposed to be?"

"Because honestly, this new Grace scares me. And I'm pretty sure she'd scare you too," Megan said frankly. Based on Noah and Megan's descriptions, I wasn't sure if I liked the sound of this new Grace. It looked like her vibrant spirit, her truly defining quality, was gone. I had grown to love that wild spirit of hers and the way she stuck to her beliefs, even when no one else was on her side. If her fiery passion had all but disappeared, then she wouldn't be the Grace I had known and grown to love.

"Alright, I'll see what I can do," I said. Megan and Noah's faces instantly lit up.

"Thank you so much, Alexei," Megan said. "You have no idea how much I appreciate that."

"Me too. I miss the old Grace and it'd be great if we could get her back," Noah said, a hint of longing in his voice. I exchanged a glance with Megan. It looked like Noah had finally gotten over himself.

"We all do," Megan said. "By the way, do you want me to get you into the embassy?"

"Um, I don't think they'd take too kindly to me walking in through the front gates," I admitted. After Grace's spectacle at the party the other night, I was pretty sure the American embassy wouldn't appreciate having a Russian on their territory.

"Right. Guess you'll have to sneak in through the back again," Megan said, with a shrug. She clicked through her phone a few times. "Huh, it looks like the guards are going to be changing shifts soon. Do you need directions to Grace's room?" It looked like I was going to be sneaking into the American embassy again.

* * *

A few minutes later, I found myself standing by the wall separating the Russian and American embassies. According to Megan, I had five minutes until the guard shift would change, leaving me two minutes to run across the back quad of the American embassy. Given that I had made it across just fine with Megan, Tanner, and Jordan, it would probably take me less time to cross it on my own.

As soon as the guard left, leaving the back quad unsupervised, I booked it for the back doors of the American embassy. It didn't take me long to cross the quad and I quickly reached the back doors. Once inside, I followed Megan's directions up to Grace's room.

I immediately noticed that her bedroom door was left ajar. I slowly crept towards the room, not wanting to disturb Grace if she was in there. I knocked on the door but got no answer. Taking a deep breath, I slowly pushed the door open. The sight of the room instantly horrified me. Old paperback novels were scattered haphazardly all over the floor. I stepped further into the room, surveying the damage. Peering into the bathroom, I found the door of the medicine cabinet open, its contents strewn all over the bathroom floor. Had Grace done all this? Was it the meds, making her lose her mind? I couldn't believe Grace had been driven to this madness. Noah had said that Grace had turned into a total nutcase; however, it seemed like Grace had gone completely over the edge. There was no way the meds alone could have done this to Grace. Something else must have happened.

A lone photograph on the floor caught my eye. I picked it up, examining it. It was an image of a boy and a girl, holding hands, standing on the wall. The girl was the spitting image of Grace and I realized it must have been her mother. The boy wasn't immediately recognizable. Upon closer inspection, I could kind of see a resemblance between the boy in the photo and Dominic. However, it was hard to imagine Dominic without his telling scar.

If the boy in the photo really was Dominic, I could see how that would upset Grace. Would it have been enough for her to trash her room? But if Grace really had gone over the edge, like Megan and Noah suggested, then anything was possible.

I took a picture of the old photo, in case I needed to show the others. I left the photo on the floor, where I found it. With one last glance around the room, I headed out, going back the way I came in. As I was about to take the back stairwell down to the main floor, I heard voices coming from further down the hall.

"She was shot! It says so. She was shot." I immediately recognized Grace's voice, full of distress. What was going on?

I heard another voice speaking. There was a room with an open door further down the hall. It sounded like the voices were coming from there. I slowly crept closer, the voices gradually getting louder.

"No, Grace. I'm afraid you aren't," the second voice said, its almost menacing tone rubbing me the wrong way. Something was really wrong. I got as close as I dared, without making my presence known.

"What happened? Why do I feel so – What did you do to me?" I immediately snapped to attention. What had that person done to Grace? Had they hurt her? If anyone even dared to hurt Grace, then they were going to be in for one hell of a fight. There was no way they'd be getting out unscathed.

I stepped closer, so that I could peer into the room. It looked like an office. One of the drawers in the filing cabinet was open and the contents of a massive file were strewn over the floor. But that wasn't the most horrifying sight in the room. I saw Grace, looking like she was barely able to stand and Ms. Chancellor, standing over her menacingly.

"I'm very sorry it has to be this way," Ms. Chancellor said. "It's for your own good, dear. I hope you will believe me. It has always been for your own good." Time seemed to slow down as a glass slipped out of Grace's hand, shattering onto the floor. As she started falling too, I burst into the office, unable to keep myself hidden any longer.

"Grace, no!" I screamed, as I reached to catch her in my arms. However, Ms. Chancellor beat me to it, deftly sweeping Grace into her arms. I seriously wondered how a woman of her age was able to support Grace's weight.

"Mr. Volkov, what a lovely surprise," Ms. Chancellor said, like nothing was wrong. "What brings you here today?"

"What the hell did you do to Grace?" I snarled, unable to keep the venom out of my voice. Ms. Chancellor simply sighed, as she stared down at an unconscious Grace in an almost motherly way.

"If you really want to know, I didn't harm her. Not permanently anyways. She'll be fine in a few hours. Besides, as I'm sure you must have heard, it was all for her own good."

"How is knocking her out doing her any good?"

"Trust me, Mr. Volkov, it was for the best. She was getting far too close to the truth. Now if you'll excuse me –"

"Were you there last night?" I interrupted, unable to contain myself. "Were you discussing murder plans with the rest of them in the palace's second-floor hallway?"

"I'm not sure what you mean," Ms. Chancellor said, looking visibly surprised.

"How much do you know? Are you in on it too? Are you just going to let Grace get murdered, without any hesitation?" I was going too far but my self-control had snapped as soon as I saw Grace falling to the floor. There was no way I could hold myself back now. "Let me guess, are you taking her to be slaughtered now? It does seem rather convenient to drug someone then murder them soon after." I let out a heartless, bitter laugh.

"Mr. Volkov, you are acting out of line. I am taking Grace somewhere she'll be safe."

"Oh, so you do know something after all." I gave Ms. Chancellor a hard look, daring her to challenge me. Ms. Chancellor didn't say anything. She tightened her hold on Grace and started moving towards the door.

"You're not going anywhere, not with Grace in that state," I hissed, blocking the doorway to the office.

"I'm afraid you must be mistaken," Ms. Chancellor said, pushing me with surprising strength. I was so caught off guard by it that I lost my hold on the doorway, allowing Ms. Chancellor and Grace to slip through. "I've got more important business to attend to and Grace is only going to get in the way." She started through the hallway at a brisk pace.

"Hey, where are you going?" I exclaimed, as I took off after Ms. Chancellor. I was able to catch up to her but for a woman of her age, she moved surprisingly quickly.

"Somewhere you're not. Like I said earlier, I'm sorry it has to be this way but it's for the best, for both you and Grace," Ms. Chancellor said. Out of nowhere, she turned a corner and opened a secret door, no doubt to another secret passage in the American embassy. Just as quickly as she opened the door, she slammed it shut, right in my face. I tried the handle, but as expected, it was locked. I kicked the door but it didn't budge. I took a running start and slammed my entire weight against the door. All it did was quiver slightly in its frame. Damn it. All that was left to do was stare at the door, feeling like I had once again failed Grace and Jamie, but most of all, myself.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Aug. 9 and Aug. 15. I'll be busy with family for the next two weeks, which is why it'll be a while before I post the next chapter. But there shouldn't be as long of a wait for the remaining chapters. See you in a few weeks!**


	30. Chapter 30 - Out with a Bang

**Hey guys! I hope you've been doing well. It's been a while since I've posted a chapter but here it is! I wasn't happy with a lot of this chapter so I completely scrapped and rewrote most of it. I only kept a couple bits of dialogue in the middle and the last few paragraphs. I'm quite happy with how this chapter turned out now, although it ended up being a lot longer than I anticipated (it's the longest chapter I've ever written – just under 6000 words!) Anyways, read on for lots of drama!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (oldest to newest), thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Guest (ERW100456): I'm glad you enjoyed that chapter! Read on to find out what happens next!**

 **GallagherGirlsEmbassyRowFan: I'm glad you've been enjoying the story and that you think I've been doing a great job of interpreting the story in Alexei's POV. I hope this chapter finds you well!**

 **Guest: I really wanted to create a close father-son-like relationship between Alexei and Mikhail, especially since his actual father doesn't treat him that well. I tried to put a bit more of a modern twist on this story by incorporating technology and social media. It wasn't mentioned a lot in the books and when it was, it seemed a bit dated. Thanks for commenting about the repetition; I'm usually pretty bad with it but I've been making an effort to look out for it and eliminate it. I hope this chapter finds you well!**

 **Guest (Annabelle Red): I'm glad you've been enjoying this story! I definitely plan on writing the second and third books in Alexei's POV (currently about half to two-thirds of the way through writing See How They Run in Alexei's POV!) although it might take me a while to get them posted since I'll be busy with school soon.**

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Chapter Thirty: Out with a Bang

Later that evening, I found myself sitting dejectedly at my desk, aimlessly scrolling through my phone. Even though I had been bombarded with texts asking me why I wasn't at Lila's party, I couldn't bring myself to go. Not when I had failed Grace.

As far as I knew, I was the only one who knew that Grace had been drugged and hauled off to God knows where. I didn't want to be the one to break the news to everyone else. I had already let Grace and myself down. I didn't want to let everyone else down too. I was supposed to be the one to get through to Grace, the one to make her see reason. Instead, I had let her get taken away. I should have followed Ms. Chancellor. But I didn't. And now, Grace was in infinitely more danger. Especially if those murder plans were going to happen.

A sudden panic hit me all at once. The murder plans. If Grace had been hauled off and hardly anyone knew about her whereabouts, that would make it so much easier to murder her. It could have been written off as a drug-induced accident. I internally kicked myself for not trying harder. I had to help Grace, but how? I had no idea where she could be right now. For all I knew, she could be on a flight back to the United States or locked up in the tunnels or strapped to a hospital bed. I shivered at the horrific thought of Grace being trapped somewhere, without anyone knowing where she was.

Actually, Ms. Chancellor knew where Grace was, since she had hauled her off in the first place. However, I knew Ms. Chancellor would not be willing to provide that information, regardless of whether or not she was actually involved in the murder plans. What if I found Dominic? After all, he was supposedly tasked with murdering Grace. Unfortunately, I still had no way of knowing if he was actually going to go through with that or not. And I certainly wasn't going to go to anyone else for information. Like my father, if he was involved in this somehow. There was no way I'd want to or would be able to get any information out of him.

My phone vibrated with yet another text. I wondered who else it could be from, wondering why I wasn't at Lila's party. It was from Rosie but it wasn't about Lila's party.

" _look out ur window"_ That was strange, especially given the lack of context. Was she trying to troll me? Nonetheless, I walked over to my window, quickly glancing out of it. I didn't see anything out of the ordinary, just the usual view of the street, and decided that Rosie was trolling me. Until I got another text from her.

" _look down_ " I did as instructed, looking down through my window. Sure enough, standing on the wall separating the American and the Russian embassies, phone in hand, was Rosie. She waved at me. I cranked open my window so I could talk to her easier.

"Rosemarie, what are you doing?" I asked. I didn't even want to know how she had gotten onto the wall.

"I came to see you," she replied, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Since you're not at Lila's party, I figured you'd be here."

"Thanks for stopping by; it's a nice gesture. But I'm not in any mood to go out."

"You're missing out. It's an awesome party. Lila's got tons of food, music, drinks. There's even a grill! I've already had a couple grilled bratwurst and intend on having a few more." Damn, Lila had a grill out by the clifftops? That took things to a whole new level. I didn't think that had ever been done before.

"Come on, Alexei, it's not the same without you," Rosie continued. "Tanner won't shut up about how lonely he is and Lila is threatening to kick him out for being a downer. Besides, I know you can't resist a burger fresh off the grill."

"Okay, fine, you had me at burger," I said. A freshly grilled burger did sound good.

"Yay! Meet me by the gate, okay?" Rosie said. With that, she started scurrying along the wall. I quickly grabbed my wallet, sliding it into my shorts pocket with my phone. Then, I made my way to the front gates of the embassy. Sure enough, Rosie was already waiting for me.

"That was fast," I commented.

"I got skills," Rosie said, with that classic nonchalant shrug of hers. Again, I didn't want know how she had descended the wall so fast.

We made our way over to the cliffs. Rosie kept up a constant stream of chatter, with all the plans she had for her thirteenth birthday. I nodded along, wishing I could still be that young and carefree.

As we approached the path leading to the cliff tops, I was hit with an overwhelming sense of déjà vu. I was instantly brought back to the first day of summer after exams had ended. That was Grace's first day back in Adria and the start to all the drama that had happened this summer. It was hard to believe that had only been a couple weeks ago.

I heard the pounding music before I saw the party. When we reached the clearing on the cliff tops, I was taken aback by what I saw. Rosie wasn't kidding; this was an awesome party. The pounding music came from a complex set-up of bass-boosted speakers. There were kids mingling everywhere. By the trees, there were tables full of food and drinks. Jordan and a couple of his co-workers from Amelia's were manning the grill. To top it off, there were fairy lights and fancy decorations of the flags of the G-20 countries strung all over the tables and the trees. It looked like Lila had really outdone herself this time.

Tanner was standing by the food tables, talking to Jordan. When he spotted me, he enthusiastically waved. I excused myself from Rosie then made my way over to him.

"Bro, there you are!" Tanner exclaimed. "Where's your other half?"

"Who?" I replied.

"You know, Grace. When both you and her didn't show up, we thought you two were getting it on." Tanner wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

"As if." I rolled my eyes, emphasizing my point. "That would never happen, not with my father and her grandfather."

"Cock-blocked on both sides, huh? Sounds rough," Jordan said. "Care for some food?"

"I'll get a burger," I said. Jordan nodded, plating a freshly grilled burger for me. I headed over to the condiments bar, topping my burger with all the fixings. I felt a hand on my arm and turned to find Lila beside me.

"Hey, Alexei. I'm glad you made it," she said, giving me a smile.

"It was all Rosie's doing," I said. Lila frowned, showing her distaste for Rosie. "She wasn't kidding; I don't think you've ever held a party to this scale." Lila smiled again, thanks to my compliment.

"This party had to be top-notch. There are children of world leaders here and I needed to make sure they were impressed."

"I'm sure this will be a party they'll never forget," I replied, with a warm smile. Lila returned my smile, before her face turned serious.

"Can we talk for a second? About last night?" she asked. I gulped, dreading the sounds of that conversation.

"Sure," I replied, hiding my nervousness as best as I could. Lila led me over to a secluded area just inside the trees.

"Why did you leave last night?" Lila asked, although it almost sounded like she was demanding an answer.

"There was something I needed to do," I replied, feeding her the same line I had given her last night.

"I know that. Care to give any specifics?" Lila was starting to get pissed. I took a moment to consider my next words. If I didn't give Lila any details, she'd keep pushing me and get even angrier. But the stuff with Dominic was Grace's business. I wasn't sure how much of it she'd want Lila to know. My guess was none of it.

"Grace told me about a man who was capable of doing some dangerous things," I started. Lila didn't look very convinced but stayed silent, letting me continue. "Based on his recent actions, we decided that he was up to something suspicious. I saw him last night and decided to keep an eye on him."

"Cut the bullshit, Alexei. I saw Tanner's Snapchat story. What happened last night?" Lila looked me right in the eye. She was fuming, to say the least.

"I followed that man, to make sure he wasn't going to try anything. I hadn't realized I would be walking right into a lethal conversation. They discovered I was listening in because my text tone kept going off. As a result, I got knocked out by one of the conversing parties. Tanner ended up following me. He and Jordan took me back to the Russian embassy and filled me in earlier this afternoon."

"Why did you have to follow that man? He doesn't have anything to do with you."

"I was doing it for Grace's sake."

"Why are you always doing things for her but you never do anything for me?" I sighed, not liking where this was headed.

"Lila, you know why."

"Don't remind me." She turned away from me and I hoped she wasn't about to start crying. I took her hand in my free one.

"Hey, I made it to your party. That's something, right?" She turned back towards me, a small but sad smile on her face.

"I guess so. Promise you'll stay for the fireworks?" She had a glimmer of hope in her eyes.

"Of course. I wouldn't miss them," I replied, with a smile. Lila smiled back at me, an indication that things between us had smoothed over, at least for the time being. I led her back out to the party area. In an instant, her face brightened. She assumed her hostess role again, moving on to mingle with the guests. I spotted Tanner, Noah, Megan, and Rosie standing near one of the food tables. Noah waved me over. As I approached them, I noticed Tanner had a suggestive smirk on his face.

"Did you get chewed out or what?" Tanner asked, cutting right to the chase.

"You could say that," I said, taking a bite of my burger.

"For what?" Noah asked, completely clueless as always.

"Leaving Lila last night to chase after Dominic," I mumbled around a mouthful of food.

"Hey, better to piss off Lila than to deal with the consequences of not stopping the Scarred Man," Rosie said casually.

"I'd beg to differ," Noah muttered. "Lila can be pretty murderous when she's pissed off."

"Not going to argue with you there but think about it, who's going to do more damage? A pissed off Lila or a Scarred Man with a mission?" Megan asked. We stayed silent, given the rhetorical nature of the question. "Exactly. You made a good call to follow the Scarred Man last night, Alexei, even though things didn't exactly turn out well for you."

"I'd say it was a pretty noble sacrifice for the team, especially since he found out some pretty interesting information that I didn't get on my Snap story," Tanner said. I glared at him. There he was with his big mouth again, forcing me to talk about things I didn't want to.

"Oh really?" Megan said, looking very interested.

"To make a long story short, the Scarred Man is going to kill again within the next twenty-four hours and I believe his next victim is Grace," I said, getting right to the point. As I feared, I was met with shocked faces.

"You're kidding, right?" Megan asked, in disbelief. "There's no way the Scarred Man could be after Grace."

"I wish I wasn't but that's what I inferred based on what I heard," I replied. "Of course, I could always be mistaken."

"That was just one conversation though," Noah argued. "Not enough to prove anything."

"Damn, you guys are seriously out of the loop," Tanner said. "Our boy has heard some real shady shit, as Jordan and I discovered earlier today." At this point, I kind of wanted to shove the rest of my burger in Tanner's mouth so he'd shut up.

"Like what?" Rosie said, looking up at me with wide, curious eyes. Megan looked suspicious while Noah, as usual, looked clueless and dumbfounded. Sighing, I gave them a condensed version of what I had told Tanner, Jordan, and Mikhail earlier this afternoon.

"Wow, that's unbelievable," Megan said, shaking her head once I finished. "Why didn't you tell us earlier?"

"Like I told Tanner and Jordan earlier, I didn't want my father, or anyone in that group for that matter, to hurt any of you if they found out you knew," I replied.

"Screw that. Grace's safety is more important at this point," Noah said fiercely. "Where is she?" We all stayed silent, knowing full well that Grace wasn't here at Lila's party.

"Alexei, do you know where she is?" Megan asked, turning to look at me. I did not like where this was headed. "If you went up to her room, then you would have been the last person to see her, out of all of us."

"I went up to her room like you said," I started. "She wasn't there but the room was in complete disarray. Books everywhere, medicine cabinet completely emptied, and I found this on the floor." I pulled up the picture of Grace's mother and Dominic on my phone and passed it around.

"Is that…?" Rosie asked, trailing off in disbelief as she, Megan, Noah, and Tanner looked at the photo.

"Grace's mother and the Scarred Man," Noah finished, with wide eyes.

"That's them all right," Megan said definitively.

"Who knew they were a thing?" Tanner said, looking bewildered.

"That would definitely explain why the Scarred Man is so obsessed with Grace's mother," Megan muttered.

"You said you found that in Grace's room?" Rosie asked, handing my phone back to me.

"Yes. I don't know where Grace could have gotten it from," I said. "But she must have ran off because I found her in Ms. Chancellor's office."

"What was she doing in there?" Noah asked.

"I'm not sure," I started, "but I think she learned something crucial about her mother's death. By the time I got there, Ms. Chancellor had already drugged Grace and was hauling her off." I was met with four horrified faces.

"Where? We have to go save her!" Rosie exclaimed.

"I-I don't know," I said. "I tried following them but Ms. Chancellor went down this secret, locked passageway in the American embassy. I have no idea where Grace could be."

"That's not good," Noah said. "What are we going to do? We can't just leave Grace on her own in who knows where."

"Grace is clever and resourceful. If anything, I'm hoping she'll be able to find her way out of wherever it is she's trapped," I said, really hoping I would be right.

"But if she's alone right now, things could end very badly for her, especially if she actually is the Scarred Man's target," Megan said. "If there's one night the Scarred Man chooses to kill someone, it'll be tonight. The G-20 summit ends tonight and this is likely the last opportunity the Scarred Man will have to get close to his target. Grace and I theorized his targets were the US President and the First Lady but really, it could be any of the world leaders or ambassadors. But if Grace really is his target, I don't understand why he'd choose to kill her tonight, of all nights. He could have picked literally any night to do it."

"Then again, his target could be anyone," I said. "For all we know, Dominic could just be getting orders from above to kill."

"So those people you ran into last night while trying to stop the Scarred Man. You think they're giving him orders to kill?" Megan asked, quickly putting everything together.

"That's what Mikhail suspected when I told him. Like I said, anything's possible," I said.

"Well, we clearly don't have much time if it's happening tonight," Noah said.

"Then we need to act fast if we want to do something," Megan said, taking action. "We might not know where Grace is. What about the Scarred Man?"

"I'm putting my money on the G-20 finale in the park," Tanner said casually. We all looked at him in awe, the recognition dawning. Despite his social media obsession and his carefree attitude, he could actually be intelligent when he wanted to be.

"Hey, that's where all the important people are tonight," Tanner continued, with a nonchalant shrug. "If I were a creepy, murderous dude with a scar for a homing beacon, that's where I'd be chilling."

"Of course, how did I not think of that?" Megan said. "Do you think Grace is trapped there?"

"She could be anywhere," I replied. "But since we have a better idea of where Dominic could be, compared to Grace, I think it'd be more worthwhile trying to stop him than to find Grace and protect her."

"Sounds good," Megan said, nodding. "So are we all going to head over to the park? As much as I'd like to go, Lila's going to kill me if I leave her party."

"Same here," Noah said. "Rosie, I think you could go because no offense, I'm pretty sure Lila doesn't want you here."

"Hey, the feeling is mutual," Rosie said casually. "If going to the park means I get to follow the Scarred Man around, then I'd rather be there than here, with Lila giving me the death glare every few seconds."

"Alexei, I think you should go," Megan said. "After all, you were the one who suggested that Grace was the Scarred Man's target." I was about to agree with her when something hit me, making me hesitate.

"You don't want to go?" Noah asked.

"I don't mind going but I had promised Lila earlier that I'd stay for the fireworks," I said, slightly embarrassed.

"Oh, screw Lila. Grace's safety is more important than Lila's wants. I can deal with her if needed," Noah said. However, this was about more than just Lila's wants. I didn't want to be letting her down again, not after all the times I had done so in the past. I didn't want to hurt her anymore than I already had.

"Besides, I just know you're going to be beating yourself up if you had the chance to be Grace's knight in shining armour but didn't," Tanner said, with a smirk and a wiggling of his eyebrows. He had me there and he knew it. As much as I didn't want to hurt Lila, I had to protect Grace too. I had promised myself that I would be there for Grace, especially after all that she had been through. I couldn't let her down now, especially if she really needed me at this moment. Besides, if Grace really was Dominic's target and he went through with the murder, then I knew I wouldn't ever forgive myself for letting Grace end up dead, especially with the opportunity I had now to save her. I could only hope that Lila would understand and that this wouldn't create a greater rift between us.

"Fine, I'll go," I relented. "But only if you come with me and Rosie." I looked over at Tanner, giving him my best cheeky smirk.

"Why me?" Tanner asked, immediately going on the defensive. "What did I do?"

"You opened your mouth, as usual," I retorted. "I wouldn't have been dragged into going to the park if you hadn't brought up my adventures last night."

"Fine," Tanner said, rolling his eyes. "Let me fill in Jordan first. Then, we'll leave before I can regret this." Tanner headed off to the grill, to find Jordan. I quickly polished off the rest of my burger.

"Hey, if you need any help while you're there, just text me," Megan said. "I'll see what I can do from afar."

"Thanks, Megan," I said, nodding my appreciation. Tanner walked back over, giving us a thumbs-up, a sign he was ready to go.

"Okay, stay safe over there," Noah said. Tanner, Rosie, and I nodded. As we headed off, Jordan waved to us from his place at the grill. We waved back. Just as we were about to take the path that would lead back down to Valancia, I heard a voice calling my name.

"Alexei, where are you going?" I turned to find Lila following me. Her face still looked friendly but I knew that was going to change as soon as I told her what I was up to.

"You guys can go ahead. I'll catch up," I said to Tanner and Rosie. Although they looked skeptical, they nodded, starting down the path. I turned to Lila. In an instant, her face turned angry, her eyes murderous.

"You promised me you were going to stay for the fireworks," Lila said.

"I know," I replied, knowing I had really messed up. "I wanted to stay too but something kind of came up and I couldn't really get out of it."

"Like what? Surely, it can't be that important."

"Um, it's important to me."

"More important than the fireworks? And the promise you made to me?" Lila looked me right in the eye and the guilt I felt instantly compounded.

"It's complicated," I replied, not sure what else I could say before I gave too much away.

"Let me guess. It's the exact same shit you pulled last night. Are you following someone again?"

"Yes, but I'm doing it for Grace. I have reason to believe that man could endanger Grace's life and I would like to prevent that from happening." I saw tears forming in Lila's eyes, a very bad sign that shit was about to go down.

"It always comes back to Grace, doesn't it? You're willing to go to the moon and back for her but you can't even give a rat's ass about me." I hated making Lila cry and I hated how what she said was partially true. Yes, I would do literally anything for Grace, whether she asked me to or not. But that didn't mean I couldn't care about Lila too. She was my friend and nothing could undo what we had shared. Unfortunately, I hadn't realized how difficult it would be to have both Grace and Lila in my life.

"As long as Grace is in the picture, nothing will change, will it?" Lila said, her voice cracking. "I will always come second to Grace in your eyes." I opened my mouth to reply but nothing I could say would make things better. Sure, I could lie but Lila would immediately call me out on it. And affirming the truth would just make me even more of an asshole. It was a lose-lose situation and I wasn't sure which outcome was the lesser of two evils.

"I'm sorry, Lila," I said, saying the only thing that seemed reasonably fitting.

"You may say that but do you really mean it?" Again, I stayed silent. "Exactly. I hope the rest of your night goes well and that you find whoever it is you're looking for." Lila spun around on her heels, keeping her face down as she walked back to her party. I knew she was crying. I wanted to run after her, to tell her that I really was sorry for breaking the promise I had made to her and that I'd make it up to her somehow. But I knew that would be of no use since she'd never let me do that, especially after all the times I had done something similar. I really felt like a massive asshole as I stared after her, wondering what on Earth I could possibly do to make things right between us.

Feeling dejected, I started walking down the path that would lead back to Valancia. I eventually broke into a run. It didn't take me long to catch up to Tanner and Rosie.

"You will never stop getting shit from Lila, will you?" Tanner asked, shaking his head. My face must have given me away.

"Apparently not," I muttered. "She really had it out for me this time."

"Looks like Queen Bitch is at it again," Rosie said. Tanner and I both looked at her in surprise, not expecting that to come out of her mouth. "Oh please, I can say worse things in German." Turns out she wasn't as innocent as I thought she was.

We kept up the small talk as we walked to the park. The closer we got, the more activity we saw. There were tons of people milling about, taking in the nice summer evening.

"So now what?" Tanner asked, as we approached the section of the park dedicated to the G-20 finale. "Wander until we find the scarred dude?"

"That sounds like our best bet," I replied. "Let's stick together."

"Wouldn't it be easier to split up?" Rosie asked.

"It might be, in terms of covering more ground. But if something happens, say, one of us gets caught in the crossfire, it would be helpful to have the others around, to access help easier," I reasoned. Rosie nodded in agreement.

"Okay, so if you were a creepy, murderous guy with a homing beacon scar, where would you be right now?" Tanner asked.

"Up there?" Rosie suggested, nodding to something in front of us. I followed her gaze to the stage set up for the speeches. There was a crowd gathered around, as the American president and the American ambassador delivered one final speech together. According to the schedule of events posted on various bulletin boards around the park, that was the last speech before the closing remarks from the Adrian royal family and the fireworks that would indicate the end of the G-20 summit.

"Let's go. We don't have much time before the finale ends," I said, making my way towards the stage.

"For all we know, the scarred dude could have already done the deed and now your girl is in a body bag somewhere," Tanner said. I glared at him for making such a morbid comment. I could never imagine Grace dead and never wanted that to happen, especially not now.

"Hey, just saying," Tanner said, holding up his hands in defense. I just rolled my eyes.

"Do you think Grace is here?" Rosie asked.

"Could be," I replied. At this point, anything was possible. None of us had heard anything from her for the past few hours. I was starting to get concerned, to say the least. I really hoped that I was just being paranoid and that all my worries were for nothing but I feared that wasn't going to be the case.

We settled into a spot near the side of the stage, watching the American president and the American ambassador deliver their speech. Just like last night, it was hard not to be enthralled by them. I found myself giving them my undivided attention, to the point where I almost missed the nudge Tanner gave me.

"Bro, is that your girl?" he asked.

"Where?" I asked, looking around, the spell broken.

"Over there," Tanner said, nodding at something in the distance. "Guy carrying a girl fireman style." I followed his gaze and was surprised by what I saw. Sure enough, it was Grace, thrown over someone's shoulder. I couldn't tell who it was but the evening sun caught their face for a split second, revealing salt-and-pepper hair and an all-too familiar scar.

"It's Grace and Dominic. Come on, let's go," I said, taking off without hesitation. Tanner and Rosie followed me as we weaved throughout the park, doing our best to keep Grace and Dominic in sight. However, it was difficult to keep up with Dominic. He kept moving too quickly, like he needed to get out of the park. Eventually, we lost sight of him.

"Damn it," I muttered as I looked around, trying to figure out where he possibly could have gone.

"I guess it's a bust," Tanner said apologetically. "Should we call it a day and head back to Lila's party?"

"No," I replied, shaking my head. "We can't leave yet. Maybe they'll show up again." There was no way we could leave now, not when we had been so close to reaching Dominic. I wasn't going to let Grace down now.

"As much as I want them to show up again, I highly doubt they will," Rosie said. "If the Scarred Man doesn't want to be seen, then he'll make sure of it. That man is one hell of a disappearing act when he wants to be." Rosie was right. Dominic was elusive and shady and there was nothing we could do about it.

"If it really makes you happy, we can wait it out for a few minutes," Tanner said, checking the time on his phone. For once, he was the voice of reason. "If there's no sign of the scarred dude or your girl, then we can head back to Lila's party. Maybe we can make it back in time for the end of the fireworks." That was a good idea. Maybe I'd be able to slightly redeem myself in Lila's eyes.

We stuck around for the closing remarks from the Adrian royal family. However, my attention was entirely focused on the surrounding area, looking out for any sign of Grace or Dominic. Unfortunately, neither Grace nor Dominic made another appearance.

"I guess that's it. No Grace or the Scarred Man," Rosie said, with a shrug, as the Adrian royal family concluded their remarks to polite applause.

"Should we head back?" Tanner asked. I was about to reply when a loud, explosive noise suddenly got our attention.

"Ooh, the fireworks have started!" Rosie exclaimed, looking up at the sky. Sure enough, the sky was lit up in an array of colours. I couldn't help but notice how the fireworks were in the colour patterns of the flags of the G-20 countries. It was a very nice touch, making the fireworks look even more impressive.

"It's a shame we're not able to watch this on the cliffs," Tanner said. I nodded in agreement, my eyes glued to the sky, until I noticed a sudden movement out of the corner of my eye. My eyes quickly snapped to the restricted area off to the side of the stage. I swore I saw Grace running into there, followed by another man. Was that Dominic? Yet, as my gaze focused, I realized, with horror, that it was not Dominic, but the Adrian prime minister.

Suddenly, the pieces of the murder plan and all those conversations that I had overhead fell into place in my head. If Dominic still hadn't changed his mind from that conversation in the Russian embassy basement, then he could actually be the only one who could keep Grace safe. If that was the case, then our real targets, the ones who would truly dare to hurt Grace, would be the Adrian prime minister, that mysterious female, and … my father. I suddenly realized that Grace was in much more danger than I ever would have guessed. If my father was able to get her alone, then who knew what he'd do to her. I hadn't seen my father at all tonight. Hopefully, that meant he was somewhere far away from Grace and not anywhere where he could hurt her. However, the prime minister was still nearby. If he was currently alone in the restricted area with Grace, then there was a good chance he would hurt her. If there was anyone who stood a chance at helping Grace now, it was my friends and I.

"We need to get into that restricted area; Grace just ran in there and she's in danger," I said, the words coming out in a big rush.

"Did the Scarred Man follow her in there?" Rosie asked, immediately snapping to attention.

"No, but the Adrian prime minister did," I replied, getting more anxious by the second. The longer I hesitated, the more likely something would happen to Grace. I knew if I didn't do something now, the guilt would eat me alive for the rest of my life.

"What does the prime minister have to do with this?" Tanner asked, looking confused.

"He's one of the men involved. I'm pretty sure I heard him in the Russian embassy basement and at the party last night. If their motives haven't changed, the prime minister is down in the restricted area, ready to end Grace's life, while Dominic may be the only one who can save her." I was starting to get more restless now.

"Are you sure?" Rosie asked, giving me a skeptical look.

"As much as I'd love to jump in, it is all just speculation," Tanner agreed. I couldn't believe my friends had chosen this moment, out of all possible times, to back out.

"I know what I heard. I don't care what you say. I'm going into that restricted area whether you're coming or not," I said, turning towards the barricades that marked the entrance to the restricted area.

"Bro – whoa, is that Secret Ninja Lady?!" Tanner exclaimed, a little too loudly. Sure enough, I saw Ms. Chancellor, zipping into the restricted area at a surprising speed. I was about to give further instructions, when we were suddenly swarmed by Secret Service agents. They no doubt must have heard Tanner. One of the agents was speaking into a walkie-talkie, about potentially dangerous activity in the restricted area.

"Run!" I yelled. I bolted straight for the restricted area, hopping right over the barricades. I stumbled a bit when I landed but kept on running. I only dared one glance behind me. Tanner and Rosie had been apprehended by the Secret Service agents; I was the only one who made it across. However, more Secret Service agents were quickly approaching, no doubt trying to force their way through the barricades and apprehend me as well. I forced myself to keep going.

I ran past stacks of equipment and boxes of fireworks. A few times, I almost tripped on cables that were stretched across the cobblestones but I forced myself to continue on. However, my heart nearly stopped when I heard the gunshots, not once but twice. They blended in so well with the fireworks; it would be easy for a casual listener to miss. I paused for a split second then willed myself on further, at full speed. I didn't stop until I reached a small, fenced-in area. It was only when I finally slowed down, my breaths coming in loud gasps, that I was able to take in the horrific scene before me. The Adrian prime minister lying on the cobblestones, blood pouring out of his chest. Ms. Chancellor, gun at the ready, standing over the prime minister. And a shell-shocked Grace falling backwards, right into Dominic Novak's arms.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Aug. 24 and Aug. 31. I start school next week so I've been prepping for the upcoming school year and trying to make the most of my summer.**

 **There's only two more chapters left! What do you think will happen to Alexei, now that the truth is out?**


	31. Chapter 31 - I Solemnly Swear

**As it turns out, there will be three more chapters of Falling for You (including this one), not two, as I had previously stated. I wrote this chapter very last-minute, as I felt like it fit in quite well. It's kind of repetitive in some places but I think it serves as a nice transition between the previous chapter and the next chapter (which will be out in a few weeks).**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (oldest to newest), thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Guest: Nice to hear from you again! I really try my best to take any comments into consideration because I want this story to be the best that it can be for my readers. Glad you enjoyed that chapter!**

 **fangirl5300: I hope this chapter finds you well! As much as I would love to post during the school year, I'm not sure how much time I'd have to do that. This year, I've got pretty long school days (I have quite a few days where I'm there from 9 until 4 or 5) and I have exams every couple of weeks. So I doubt I'd have time to write and edit chapters. Don't worry, I still plan on posting See How They Run in Alexei's POV, it might just be a while before that happens. I guess I'll have to see how the school year goes before I decide if I want to post the second book earlier than planned.**

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Chapter Thirty-One: I Solemnly Swear

The next thing I knew, I was grabbed from behind. I initially struggled, trying to break free.

"Do not move." I heard a rough voice whisper into my ear. I turned my head, only to discover that my assailants were two Secret Service agents. I immediately stopped struggling, knowing it would do me no good trying to resist them.

"Good." That voice whispered into my ear.

The agent on my right shifted slightly, pulling out a walkie-talkie. "We're clear. We got the kid. Can I get the rest of you to clean up this area?" he said, speaking into the walkie-talkie. He was slightly taller than average, with a lean, muscular build and looked pretty young, maybe in his late thirties. His nametag read Agent Kent.

"Come on, kid, let's move," Agent Kent said, addressing me. A hand roughly clapped my back, forcing me to start walking. "Where do you live?"

"The Russian embassy, sir," I replied, trying to keep my voice from squeaking. The agent on my left bristled slightly. I noticed his nametag read Agent White. Funnily enough, he bore a striking resemblance to Walter White's Heisenberg persona, except with grey hair. The two agents dragged me over to a nondescript black SUV with tinted windows.

"Get in," Agent White said. Agent Kent opened the backdoor to the SUV. Before I knew what was happening, Agent White shoved me into the backseat. I roughly landed on the seat, feeling the wind knocked out of me. The backdoor was closed and we were quickly on our way to the Russian embassy.

The ride there was silent, with the exception of the two agents conversing in low, hushed tones. I had no idea what was going to happen to me when I got home. Hopefully, the agents were being kind and decided to take pity on me, giving me a free ride home. However, based on the tones of their conversation, that likely wasn't going to be the case.

Soon enough, we reached the Russian embassy. Agent White pulled the SUV right up to the curb, by the gates. He gave me a withering look before the two agents exited the vehicle. I saw them conversing with the guards stationed outside the gates, no doubt telling them what I had gotten up to. I hoped I wasn't about to get in a ton of trouble. One of the guards pulled out their phone to make a phone call.

A few moments later, Mikhail stepped out of the front door of the embassy. I breathed a sigh of relief, only to realize that my father could still be inside the embassy and fuming. Mikhail looked understandably confused and concerned as he walked towards the guards and the agents. Agent Kent opened the SUV door, letting me walk out.

"Kid, we got someone here for you," he said, grabbing hold of my arm.

"Lyosha, what's going on?" Mikhail asked, looking concerned.

"He was found near a crime scene. We don't think he has anything to do with it; rather, he just stumbled onto it. I think we should be all clear after a quick questioning session," Agent Kent explained. He gave me a reassuring look and a nod. I relaxed slightly, as it looked like Agent Kent was on my side. Mikhail nodded in understanding, although he gave me a questioning look.

"Is there a private room where we can take the boy?" Agent White asked. On the contrary, he did not look like he'd be on my side.

"There are a couple of empty meeting rooms on the second floor," Mikhail said. "I've got some of the staff setting up one of the rooms for you."

"Cool, lead the way," Agent Kent said. Mikhail started walking back into the embassy. The two agents took up their places on either side of me and dragged me into the embassy. We followed Mikhail up to the second floor. As we passed the ambassador's office, I heard hushed voices arguing in Russian. I recognized my father and the ambassador's voices. I wondered what they could be arguing about and really hoped it wasn't the murder plans or this little situation I had gotten myself into. I quickly glanced up at Mikhail. His eyes met mine, indicating he knew I had heard the argument. However, his face didn't give anything else away.

"Here we are," Mikhail said, opening the door to one of the small meeting rooms at the end of the hall. I was surprised at how quickly the room had been transformed into an interrogation hall. The large conference table had been pushed to the side, leaving a small folding table with three chairs in the center of the room. A pitcher of water and a few glasses had been set up on the table.

"Do you need anything else?" Mikhail asked.

"This is good, thank you," Agent White said. "Can we ask you to wait outside while we question the boy?"

"Certainly. I'll be down the hall if you need me," Mikhail said. He gave me a reassuring look before leaving.

"Alright, make yourself comfy, kid," Agent Kent said, releasing his hold on me. "We could be here for a while." The agents sat down on one side of the table. I sat down on the other side of the table, across from them. Agent Kent poured a glass of water, downing it in one fluid gulp. He poured another glass, setting it on the table in front of him, before pouring a third glass for his partner.

"Before we start, do you promise to tell the truth while you are under oath?" Agent White asked, producing a small bible from his pocket.

"Yes, I do," I said, eyeing the bible curiously. He gestured for me to put my hand on the bible, which I did cautiously.

"Okay, repeat after me, I solemnly swear that everything I say from this point forward is the whole truth and nothing but the truth. Lying while under oath is a criminal offence and if caught doing so, I will be subject to further investigation." I repeated Agent White's words back to him.

"Good," he said, appearing satisfied. He placed the bible back in his pocket, only to pull out a small notepad and a pen. "Can you start by telling me your name?"

"Alexei Volkov."

"And how old are you?"

"Seventeen." Agent White made a note of those two facts while Agent Kent pulled out his phone, placing it on the table. I saw that it was open to a sound recording app. I gulped, as it reminded me of how I had unsuccessfully tried to record that conversation last night.

"So, can you tell us what you were doing at the park?" Agent White asked, folding his hands on the table. He looked me right in the eye, expecting an answer. I tried not to waver under his unyielding gaze.

"I was at the park with my friends, to enjoy the G-20 finale," I said, not sure what the agents wanted me to say.

"When did you arrive at the park?"

"Right at the start of the American president and the American ambassador's speech,"

"Did you have any reason to suspect that something was going to happen?" I hesitated slightly before answering.

"No, sir," I replied, trying to keep my voice strong.

"Are you sure about that?" Agent White asked, eyeing me carefully.

"Yes, I'm sure," I said, forcing myself to look right into Agent White's eyes. There was no way I would say anything about the murder plans and all those discussions about them. Even though I was more or less an innocent bystander who happened to know too much, the last thing I needed was to start a scandal involving all my friends. However, Agent Kent started tapping around on his phone.

"Well, according to my buddies who are over at the South Korean embassy, they just discovered some interesting information on a Snapchat story," Agent Kent said. Oh God, so Tanner was also being questioned _and_ he had told the agents about his Snapchat story? That was the one thing that could incriminate everyone and create an even bigger pile of shit.

"According to my sources, we have taken in two other teenagers for questioning," Agent White said. "Ms. Rosie Klein at the German embassy and Mr. Tanner Park at the South Korean embassy. What is your relationship to those two?"

"Rosie is my friend. We often run in the same circles so I see her quite often," I said. The agents nodded along, giving me the sense that I was finally saying the right things. "Tanner is my close friend. We've been good friends for about five years and we hang out almost every day."

"What do you know about Mr. Park's Snapchat story?" Agent Kent asked, taking over the questioning.

"He showed it to me earlier this afternoon," I said.

"I gotta say, there's some pretty interesting stuff in there," Agent Kent said. He showed me the screen of his phone which, much to my dismay, displayed Tanner's Snapchat story. He slowly clicked through it, forcing me to relive last night's events. "Based on this, it looks like you were trying to follow someone and record a conversation, only to get knocked out."

"Yes, sir," I said, embarrassed at Agent Kent's accurate description of my little adventure last night.

"Why were you following that man?" Agent White said, giving me that same unyielding stare. I wondered what I could possibly say that was still a truth but wouldn't cause an entire scandal to be unleashed.

"He looked suspicious. I got the feeling he was up to something. I looked around to see if anyone else had noticed but I appeared to be the only one. So I decided to follow him, to see if he was really up to something," I replied. Everything I had said was true. Agent White looked at me like he didn't believe me.

"Was last night the first time you had seen that man? Or had you seen him before?" Agent White asked.

"I have briefly interacted with him a couple times. I was introduced to him a couple weeks ago when he was here, at the Russian embassy, for a meeting and I spoke to him last night at the palace," I replied.

"Presumably that was before you followed him?"

"Yes, sir."

"Did your previous interactions give you any reason to suspect he would do something suspicious?"

"No, sir." Agent White looked like he was about to face-palm himself.

"Then why on Earth did you follow that man?"

"Like I said earlier, something was wrong about the way he had been acting. His eyes were shifting around and he moved quickly, with a sense of purpose. That was enough to indicate he could have been up to something. I would have felt guilty if I had noticed his behaviour but thought nothing of it, only to have something happen afterwards. I decided the best course of action would be to follow him for a bit, just to make sure nothing would happen, and then return to the party. Of course, it did not exactly turn out that way."

"Looks like we got a young kid motivated by a moral sense of duty," Agent Kent said, a knowing gleam in his eye. Sure, I'd take that explanation. As long as I didn't have to reveal that I had heard more than a few clandestine conversations.

"Honestly, kid, it's nice that you want to save the world and all that but you should really stop mingling in other people's business. More often than not, it's not going to end well for you," Agent Kent said. Agent White looked like he disagreed but luckily, he didn't say anything.

"According to my sources, that man you followed last night is Dominic Novak, head of the security for the Adrian prime minister," Agent Kent said, like he was reading something off his phone. "He was also at the crime scene earlier this evening. Now, do you know anyone else at the crime scene, aside from your friends?" I gulped, as this was another question that could easily take things into the deep end, fast.

"I knew everyone else who was there," I replied honestly. Agent White looked visibly surprised while Agent Kent let out a low whistle.

"Wow, kid, you've been getting into quite a bit of trouble, haven't you?" Agent Kent asked. I just stayed silent, not wanting to give away what I knew.

"Now, what is your relationship to each of the parties present at the crime scene?" Agent White asked, bringing us back to the reason they were here in the first place.

"As I have previously stated, I am only briefly acquainted with Dominic Novak. Likewise with the prime minister and Ms. Chancellor, as I have briefly interacted with them a few times," I replied.

"And you have no reason to suspect they'd be up to anything."

"Of course not." Another lie from me. Hopefully, they wouldn't realize that and call me out on it.

"What about the girl who was there? Ms. Grace Blakely?" Agent White eyed me closely.

"She's a … friend," I started, trying to think of the best way to describe Grace without revealing my feelings for her. Surely, the agents didn't need to know about that. Unfortunately, Agent Kent saw right through me.

"Come on, kid, I can see it right on your face. You like her, don't you?" Agent Kent asked, a knowing glint in his eye. Agent White glared at his partner for the inappropriate comment. For once, I felt like I was on the same side as him.

"She's a friend. A friend I am concerned about," I reiterated. "I'm sure you're familiar with what happened a couple nights ago at the American embassy."

"No kidding we are. I'm telling you right now, kid, don't go for the crazy girls. Save yourself the trouble and go for the nice girl next door," Agent Kent said. He clearly didn't realize just how ironic his statement was.

"Now, did you have any reason to suspect the girl was up to something?" Agent White asked.

"Not in the criminal sense," I replied. "My friends and I were worried she'd have a mental breakdown though, especially after what happened at the party a couple nights ago. She wouldn't talk to any of us or hang out with us yesterday or today and refused to leave the embassy."

"Remind me to look into the girl's health records," Agent White said, turning to his partner. He then turned back to me. "Now, how did this girl end up in the park?"

"I'm not sure," I replied honestly.

"Okay," Agent White said, making a note of what I said. "Now why don't you tell us how you ended up in the park?" I took a moment to think about that, trying to figure out how to leave out all the clandestine conversations I had heard.

"I went to the embassy earlier today, to check on her. She wasn't there but her room was in complete disarray, indicating she might have had some sort of mental breakdown," I started. Agent Kent gave me a friendly nod, encouraging me to go on. "Then, I went to this party out by the cliff tops, since all my other friends were there. We were hoping Grace would be there but she wasn't. None of us had heard from her for a few hours and she wasn't answering her phone so we tried to figure out where she'd be. Since she wasn't at the embassy or at the party, then we guessed she could have been at the park."

"How did you come to that conclusion?"

"Process of elimination and a lucky guess, I suppose," I said casually. "Her grandfather, the American ambassador, was giving a speech at the G-20 finale at the park. Maybe she'd want to watch her grandfather speak." It wasn't the best lie but it seemed decent enough, at least so the agents wouldn't suspect that I knew more than I was letting on.

"That was one hell of a lucky guess alright," Agent Kent said.

"So you, Mr. Park, and Ms. Klein went to the park. Surely, the three of you didn't just stumble upon the restricted area," Agent White said.

"No, we didn't, sir. Not really, anyways," I replied.

"Did you see anything out of the ordinary at the park? Anything that would have led you to the restricted area?" I took a deep breath before answering.

"Actually, I saw Grace being carried out of the park by Dominic Novak," I said. The two agents looked at each other in surprise, communicating something with their eyes.

"And why would that be suspicious to you?"

"Well, put yourself in my shoes. I hadn't seen my friend for a couple days and I was worried about her mental well-being. And suddenly, I see her being carried out of the park by a man I'm only briefly acquainted with. I don't know about you but to me, seeing that triggered concerns about her safety. What if she were to be kidnapped or assaulted?"

"So let me guess. You followed this girl and the man all the way to the restricted area?" Agent Kent asked.

"More or less. I mean, what else was I supposed to do?" I commented, trying to keep it from sounding like a retort.

"Stay out of it and let the pros deal with it," Agent Kent said, gesturing at him and his partner.

"What made you run into the restricted area?" Agent White asked.

"I saw Grace running into there, followed by the prime minister," I replied.

"So you decided to rescue her because of your moral sense of duty to the world," Agent Kent said. I pointedly ignored his comment.

"That was when I decided something was going on. Sure, it was strange to see my female friend being carried out of the park by one man. But to later see her being chased into a different area of the park by another man was alarming. Who knew if those men were working together, to assault her or force her into trafficking? As her friend, I felt obligated to go after her, to make sure she was safe," I said, not entirely lying.

"And was that how you landed upon the crime scene?" Agent White asked, leaning back in his chair.

"Yes, sir," I replied.

"Did you have any reason to suspect that would have happened?"

"Of course not."

"Did you believe any of the parties involved were armed?"

"No. Adria is a safe place. There's no need for anyone to carry arms at any given time."

"So let us recap. You stumbled upon the crime scene because you were concerned for the safety of this girl," Agent Kent said.

"Yes, sir," I replied, really starting to get tired of all the questions.

"And you have been telling the truth when you stated that you had no reason to believe that anything was going to happen?"

"Yes, sir."

"Everything you said today in this room has been the truth?"

"Yes, sir." If they noticed the faint quiver in my voice, they didn't mention it.

"One last thing, kid. Can you keep a secret?"

"Of course."

"Perfect. Everything that we discussed in this room will stay in this room. You can essentially pretend this conversation never happened," Agent Kent said, a knowing smile on his face. "You are free to go." Wow. I couldn't believe I had just lied to a couple of Secret Service Agents and totally gotten away with it.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Next chapter will be up between Sept. 7 and Sept. 16. Last week was just orientation stuff for me and I officially start classes tomorrow. Turns out, I've already got a midterm on Sept. 7 so I'll probably want to focus my attention on that before posting the next chapter.**

 **Only two more chapters left! What do you think will happen to Alexei? He's not off the hook yet! ;) Stay tuned for more!**


	32. Chapter 32 - Obsessed

**Hey everyone, it's been a while since I last posted a chapter. My apologies for the serious delay in getting this chapter up. I started my first year of medical school at the end of August and that has been crazier than I ever could have imagined. I thought there was a lot of studying in uni but there's way more in med school. It has been difficult to find spare time to write and edit, especially since I had a killer midterm today. But now that my crazy midterm is done with, I had some time to finish up editing this chapter. Read on for some drama!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (oldest to newest), thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **MJJLover: That's a good question, which is something I've never really considered. I think I'd probably post See How They Run in Alexei's POV one chapter at a time (like I did with Falling for You). As much as I'd love to post the whole thing at once, I feel like it'd take me way longer to get it out if I posted the whole thing at once vs one chapter at a time (since I'd have to put in a lot more time editing). I'm glad you've been enjoying this and I definitely plan on writing the rest of the series in Alexei's POV!**

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Chapter Thirty-Two: Obsessed

 _Heart Attack Leaves Adrian Prime Minister in Coma._ It was all over the news the next morning, as the headlining topic on all the major news channels, both in Adria and internationally. Over and over, I watched as various news anchors described how the Adrian prime minister had suddenly been overcome with a heart attack at yesterday's G-20 finale and had to be rushed to the hospital.

"Unbelievable, isn't it?" I turned around to find Mikhail standing in the doorway of my bedroom. "The reports said that the heart attack came on so suddenly. Apparently, heart trouble runs in the prime minister's family." Mikhail sat down next to me on the bed. I stayed silent, keeping my eyes glued to the TV screen. I wondered how the news anchors could go on and on about the prime minster's health problems, when it was really just a lie to cover up the brutal truth.

"Lyosha, you don't believe any of this, do you." It was a statement, not a question. Unsurprisingly, Mikhail had been able to see right through me.

"Not really. I mean, I was there last night. You saw the Secret Service agents bring me home for questioning. I saw enough to know what really happened."

"Your father was not happy about the way you arrived home last night." I shuddered at the memory of being apprehended by the Secret Service agents and assaulted by questions last night. That was something I hoped I'd never have to go through again.

"What did he have to say about that?"

"He didn't say much to me but I wouldn't be surprised if he wants to have a word with you." Mikhail looked at me, his eyes softening. "Lyosha, you scared me last night. I thought something had happened to you."

"I'm sorry. I hadn't realized walking into the restricted area at the park would turn out the way it did," I replied, hanging my head down in shame.

"I suppose neither of us would have known. You're lucky you just had to go through a questioning." I nodded in agreement, Things could have gone much worse if the agents discovered I had lied about all the clandestine conversations.

"Did you tell them about everything you had heard?" Mikhail asked, reading my thoughts. I simply shook my head. Mikhail raised his eyebrows. "Lying to Secret Service agents is a criminal offence. I'm surprised they didn't call you out on it."

"I kind of worked my way around it. I didn't lie about everything," I said. "I knew that bringing up those conversations would lead to a further investigation. They found Tanner's Snapchat story, which I couldn't argue against. But I was also able to pretend that was the first time I was aware of anything going on."

"And they believed you."

"One of them did, enough to get me off the hook."

"You're lucky to have gotten away with it and that it was covered up so quickly. You're probably one of the select few to know the truth."

"About what?" I looked at Mikhail, confused. Unfortunately, there was a lot that I knew about, thanks to all those conversations I had stumbled upon.

"About the prime minister being shot." Mikhail had a small, knowing smirk on his face.

"How do you know?" I asked, surprised.

"The truth gets around to the executive staff at each embassy, only to be buried by the time it reaches the public. I was there when your father and the ambassador got the news, shortly after your questioning."

"But they'd definitely want to keep something like this hidden, right? I mean, if word got out that the Adrian prime minister was actually shot by someone from the American embassy, it would cause an international incident."

"Of course it would, especially since the G-20 summit just ended. It's almost ironic, in a way. After all, the G-20 summit is about promoting friendly relations between the highest powers in the world. Knowing that the summit actually ended with bloodshed between two of the most dominant worldly powers would, quite frankly, send everyone into a state of panic and lead society to question the strength of the ties between the world's strongest nations." I could definitely imagine that happening. The world often depended on Adria to keep strong diplomatic relations between its highest powers. If it was revealed that Adria couldn't even uphold those diplomatic relations, then there was no telling what would happen to the rest of the world.

"Do you think the American embassy will try to keep the truth hidden from Grace?" Mikhail took a second to think about that.

"Anything's possible. They've already kept so much hidden from her, that poor girl. Do you think she'll remember what happened?"

"She has to. She was there and saw even more than I did. There's no way she could forget something like that, no matter how much her grandfather or Ms. Chancellor tries to make her think otherwise. Grace deserves to know the truth. She's not a child anymore."

"What the American embassy does about that is up to them. However, I think they'll have a harder time keeping this from her, considering she was there and saw it with her own eyes, like you said." Mikhail and I sat in silence for a moment, watching the news reports.

"Anyways, are you working out today?" Mikhail asked me.

"Of course." Ever since that torturous day in the gym with my father, I had forced myself to workout every day, so I could meet and hopefully surpass my father's standards. It was definitely tiring but I was really hoping it'd pay off.

"I'm afraid I won't be able to join you today," Mikhail said regretfully. "I've got embassy business to attend to, meetings to sit in on. I'll catch up with you later though." I nodded in understanding. Mikhail gave me a friendly smile then walked out of my room. I turned off the TV, knowing it wouldn't do me any good to keep watching the news reports on the prime minister. I changed into my workout clothes then grabbed my phone, earbuds, and water bottle. I headed down to the gym and found it surprisingly empty, not a single soul in sight. Usually at this time, there would be at least a few other people working out. Clearly, there must have been really important embassy business going on if the gym was empty.

I plugged my phone into the gym speakers and blasted my go-to workout playlist, full of upbeat, energetic EDM songs. I started off with a five-mile run, then took my time using the abs and legs machines. Then, I headed over to the bench press and started loading weights onto the bar. It was probably a bit dangerous, doing weights without a spotter but I figured I would be fine, as long as I didn't go above my max. I got into position on the bench press. Just as I was about to start my reps, my playlist suddenly stopped, mid-song. I sat up and was about to check if there had been a technical issue with the speakers, only to hear footsteps headed my way.

"Alexei." I looked up to see my father walking towards me. A pit instantly formed in the bottom of my stomach. What was my father doing here? Didn't he have embassy business to attend to?

"I see you've been working out," my father said. "However, you could really do without that vile EDM music. It will only serve to distract you." I just nodded my head in silence. I knew it would be futile to argue with him on that.

"I figured I'd check in on you, to see if you've made any efforts to improve," my father continued. I was seriously wondering how my father had managed to get out of important embassy business so he could put me through physical torture again. "I see you've got the weights loaded on the bench press so we'll start with that. How much weight do you have on here?"

"195 pounds." My father raised an eyebrow at me.

"That's it?" my father said, the disdain evident in his voice. I was about to protest but a death glare from him made me keep my mouth shut. "Let's start with your usual weight, 205 pounds, five reps." He loaded a couple extra weights on the bar then lifted the bar off the rack for me. I easily did my five reps.

"Good. Let's keep going." My father added more weight onto the bar then handed it back to me. "210 pounds, five reps." Again, I easily did my reps for that and the next set of weights, 215 pounds.

"Good. 220 pounds, five reps." My father gave me a knowing look. We both knew that was above my normal max. I hoped that I would be able to handle it and wouldn't disappoint him. He handed the bar to me and I did my reps without too much trouble. My father merely nodded when I finished my reps.

"225 pounds, five reps." My father handed the bar to me and I managed to do the five reps, although my form was slightly questionable on the last rep. My father knew it too and gave me a disapproving look.

"230 pounds, five reps." It looked like my father would keep going until I couldn't complete my reps. I struggled through the next five reps but managed to get them done.

"235 pounds, five reps." My father handed me the bar and I managed to do three reps with proper form. On the fourth rep, my form started slipping. I took a deep breath, willing myself to get through this. As I went to do the fifth and last rep, my arms suddenly gave out. My father quickly caught the bar and placed it back on the rack, with a resounding thud.

"Is that it?" my father asked. I nodded, not daring to say a word.

"I'll admit, you have been improving, albeit slowly. I would like to see you keep this up," my father said. That was probably the closest thing to praise I would get from him. "Take a water break. I'll meet you by the fight training area. I'd like to see how you've been doing on the punching bag exercise." I gulped down a third of the water in my water bottle then headed over to the fight training area. Once there, I carefully wrapped my hands then put on a pair of boxing gloves. I headed over to the punching bag that my father was standing by. He had a timer at the ready and was looking at me expectantly.

"Ready?" my father asked me. I nodded, getting into a fight stance in front of the punching bag.

"Good. Three, two, one, go!" my father shouted. I started with a sequence that Mikhail and I had come up with, going at a moderate pace. After a few minutes, I forced myself to pick up the pace, then started adding in more variation, recalling the sequences that Mikhail and I had practiced. I noticed that my father was oddly silent the whole time. I kept glancing over at him, expecting him to yell out commands but he stayed quiet, alternating his attention between me and the stopwatch. It was almost unsettling, in a way. I felt like he was silently judging me and would later lecture me on all the things I could have done better. It was actually worse than having him yell at me as I performed the exercise.

I felt myself getting tired and knew that I had to be getting close to ten minutes. Unfortunately, my father gave me no indication of the time so I couldn't be sure. Even though my muscles were aching, I forced myself to go even harder and faster. After all, it was what my father would have wanted to see from me.

"Enough!" my father shouted suddenly. I abruptly stopped, mid-punch, and got hit by the recoil of the punching bag. I fell backwards onto the mat, much to my embarrassment.

"That was eight minutes," my father said, as I picked myself up from the mat. Eight minutes! That was the longest I had ever gone on the punching bag, without stopping.

"I didn't think you'd last that long," my father admitted. "Of course, you still have much to improve on if you are to reach ten minutes. You managed to keep a decent pace, although I would like to see you go faster. I also want to see more variation. Your sequences were too predictable." I nodded in silence as I took my father's criticism. Even when I did manage to impress him, he'd always have something else to criticize me for.

"Take another water break. You should know what's coming next," my father said, as he gave me a knowing look. My stomach instantly dropped because this was the part I was dreading the most. Sparring. I could have sworn there was an almost devilish glint in his eyes, like he was looking forward to beating the crap out of me.

I took off the boxing gloves and checked to make sure that my hands were still wrapped properly. I gulped down more water then waited for my father to wrap his hands. He motioned for me to step into the ring with him.

"You know the rules, first one down on the mat or out of the ring loses." I nodded. That was the way it was, and the way it always had been, with my father. We both got into a fight stance then started circling each other. I surprised both of us by making the first move. As expected, my father blocked my attack. We got into a nice rhythm of attacking and blocking. However, my father suddenly got in a hard punch to my side, making me bend over in pain.

"Still a weak, little boy, are you?" my father taunted. "And here, I thought you had been improving."

"I am not a weak, little boy," I growled, merely causing my father to laugh. I quickly retaliated with a couple more punches, managing to land them both.

"Good, you have been improving after all," my father said. He got in another punch but I aimed a well-timed roundhouse kick to his side, nailing it. I quickly followed up with a hard punch.

"However, you could be much, much better if you weren't so easily distracted," my father continued, without losing his focus on the fight. What was my father doing? He never talked this much, or ever, during sparring. Usually, if he did speak while sparring, it was to criticize me for not doing good enough. Was my father trying out a new technique? A jolting punch to the arm quickly snapped me out of my thoughts.

"See? Point proven," my father said, following up with an uppercut. I saw it coming this time and managed to block it.

"Good. You could be a much better fighter if you cut all distractions. Like the American girl." I suddenly faltered for a second. What did Grace have to do with my fighting ability? However, when my father landed a rather painful kick to my side, I suddenly realized that Grace might have everything to do with my fighting ability.

"See? One mention of her and you lose your focus," my father said, as he landed an uppercut to my shoulder. I bit my lip to keep from crying out in pain.

"I should have known better than to think that you had gotten over the American girl. Clearly, it was a lost cause. I cannot believe you'd let yourself get distracted by a girl, especially an American girl." I felt rage and anger stirring inside of me but forced myself to keep my emotions in check. It seemed like my father was trying to taunt me. I tried telling myself not to get worked up but it wasn't working very well. My emotions were starting to bubble inside of me and it wouldn't be long before they spilled out.

"I am not getting distracted by Grace," I growled, landing an uppercut on my father.

"I'd beg to differ. You seemed pretty infatuated with her at the ball and at the party at the American embassy."

"I am not infatuated with Grace." I tried to keep my voice from growling and failing miserably.

"That's what boys always say when they're trying to deny that they're in love," my father said, shaking his head. "It doesn't take a genius to tell that you're obsessed with the American girl." At that, my control snapped. I let myself get lost in the swirling tempest of rage and anger inside of me.

"I. Am. Not. Obsessed. With. Grace." I accentuated each of my words with a punch or kick to my father. I put everything I had into each of those moves, channeling my emotions into them. As I hit him with a powerful roundhouse kick that momentarily left him stunned and off-balance, I used his height and weight against him and managed to pin him down. Both of us were sweating and gasping for air, completely out of breath from the fight. As I looked down into my father's eyes, rage and anger still seeping off me, I saw a range of emotions flash through them. Anger. Approval. Disappointment.

"Well done, Alexei," my father said, from below me. "For once, you put up an excellent fight, exceeding even my highest expectations of you." I couldn't detect any hint of bitterness in his voice, only approval.

"However, it was only because you were provoked, by the American girl, out of all things," my father snarled, the disapproval that I knew so well seeping back into his voice. He kneed me in the groin and used my momentary distraction to flip us over, so he was on top once again.

"You have greatly disappointed me, with your infatuation with the American girl. She is nothing but a trouble maker and a lost cause. Do you know what the Americans told the Russian president and I, after that girl leaped from the balcony?" I merely shook my head, not sure if I wanted to know.

"They said she was on some kind of new medication and it was making her act up." My father shook his head in disgust. "What kind of an explanation is that? That girl is crazy, whether she is on medication or not. I would tell you to stay away from her but at this point, it doesn't matter. You have allowed yourself to fall in love and it has only served to make you weak. I expected so much better of you but I should have known better than to get my hopes up. I suppose your mother's wild and spontaneous side is starting to show through. I had hoped I would be able to eradicate that part of her from you and turn you into a better man but I suppose my efforts have been in vain. You have failed me, son." With that, my father stood up and walked away, just like he had done so many times before.

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 **Thanks for reading! I hope you enjoyed this chapter! The next (and last!) chapter of Falling for You will be up between Oct. 20 and Nov. 2.**

 **What do you think is in store for Alexei? It's hard to believe there's only one more chapter of Falling for You left! I'm honestly not ready for this to end. Thanks so much to everyone who's read and supported this story. I'll see you in a few weeks for the final chapter!**


	33. Chapter 33 - My Father's Son

**This is it. The last chapter of Falling for You. Read on to find out how it all ends. Be ready for some feels; you have been warned.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own the Embassy Row series and all the characters (except for Tanner and Jordan, who are my own creations). They belong to Ally Carter. I am merely using her characters and plotline to create this fanfiction. This fanfiction is purely for entertainment purposes and would not exist without Ally Carter's wonderful works.**

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 **Going to reply to reviews on the previous chapter in the order they were posted (oldest to newest), thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Guest: Nice to hear from you! I hope you've been enjoying the story!**

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 **Also going to reply to any reviews left on Falling for You after its completion, in the order they were posted, thanks so much to everyone who reviewed!**

 **Guest (ERW1000456): Thanks for all your support throughout Falling for You! School was pretty intense at times but overall, it has gone well. It was bittersweet finishing up Falling for You but t** **he second book in Alexei's POV (On the Run) is now out!**

 **Guest (Chelsea): Thanks for your support, I'm glad you're enjoying it!**

 **Guest: Thanks for your support, I'm glad you're enjoying my writing! The second book in Alexei's POV (On the Run) is now out!**

 **FishandChipsAus: Thank you for all your comments and support. This story is my interpretation of what happens in All Falls Down but in Alexei's point of view. Naturally, there are going to be some scenes from the original books by Ally Carter but I'm interpreting Alexei's character my own way. The entire first draft of Falling for You was finished a few days before Take the Key and Lock Her Up came out so there may be some aspects of his character that are different compared to that book.** **Throughout the writing and editing process, I got to know Alexei's character better and hope to reflect that in the remaining two books in Alexei's POV.** **I'm glad you really enjoyed my story!**

 **Guest (repliergirl22): Thank you, I'm glad you're enjoying the story! I tried to add in tons of details so it would be as authentic as possible (and also because I tend to be really detailed and wordy with my writing). I'm glad you like Tanner, especially since he seems to be a fan favourite! His scenes with Alexei are some of my favourite ones to write.**

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Chapter Thirty-Three: My Father's Son

I watched my father walk out of the gym. Once I heard the gym doors slam shut, I let out a blood-curling scream. My muscles were absolutely aching and I was sure that I'd be covered in bruises tomorrow morning. That couldn't compare to the great storm of emotions swirling inside of me though.

I rarely, if ever, let my emotions take over me. I always worked hard to keep a level head. Today though, my control snapped, unleashing an inner flood of emotions stronger than anything I had felt before. I had never been overtaken so strongly by rage. I had no idea exactly what had happened, only that I felt the need to make my father pay for what he had said about Grace and I.

It suddenly clicked in my mind, what had happened. In acting violent and unrelenting, I had turned into my father. That was the one thing I feared the most.

For years, I had always been petrified of becoming exactly like my father when I grew up. His cruelty scared me so much as a child, to the point where if I ever had children one day, I promised myself that I wouldn't be cruel or violent towards them, like my father had been to me. Most of the time, I was able to keep that side of me hidden and my emotions in check. However, I couldn't control myself today. And I became exactly like my father, the one person I had always feared and resented.

I screamed again, hating myself for losing control of my emotions. I hated my father, for knowing the best ways to provoke me, so I would look weak and foolish in front of him. I bet he had gotten a kick out of taunting me, so that my cruel, sadistic side would show. It made me hate this whole situation even more.

I let out one last scream. However, screaming wasn't going to help me get my anger out. I looked down at my hands. Even though the wraps were starting to come undone, I didn't care. I simply slipped on a pair of boxing gloves and walked over to the nearest punching bag. I started attacking it with everything I had in me. I swore over and over, not caring if anyone heard me. Besides, all the executive staff would be dealing with their important embassy business right now. No one would even think to check on the tortured seventeen-year-old in the gym, taking out his emotions on the punching bags.

I didn't know how long I stayed there, alone in the gym, attacking the punching bag. I just kept going and going, even when my muscles were screaming in agony. It was only when my phone vibrated, the sound echoing throughout the gym, that I snapped out of my reverie. All at once, the exhaustion, both physical and emotional, hit me.

I slipped off my boxing gloves, dismayed to find that cuts had opened up on my hands. In my cloud of emotions, I must not have been able to feel the pain in my hands. However, as I gingerly removed the hand wraps, my hands started stinging in all the places that were cut. I slumped down onto the mats, my breaths coming in ragged gasps. I felt hot, angry tears forming in my eyes. For once, I didn't bother trying to blink them away. It was no use, not with how fast they were dripping down my cheeks and onto the mats.

It was like I was finally letting out all the tears I had been holding in for ten years. I cried for my mother and her sudden disappearance. Even after all these years, I still had no idea why she had left or where she had gone.

I cried for Grace, that poor girl who was so breathtakingly beautiful but enslaved by her own demons. I had tried so hard but even I couldn't free her from the shackles of her own mind.

Most of all, I cried for myself. I cried for the little boy I used to be, that defenceless, helpless boy who was unable to do anything as he quivered in fear, taking blow after blow from a cruel, heartless father.

Since then, that little boy had been replaced by a boy who knew how to fight back and suppress his emotions. That former, loving innocence had turned into a cold, hard resolve, fuelled by a need to show my father that I wasn't scared and could face anything he put me through. It was a defence mechanism that proved successful, for the most part. However, it was starting to break down now, as the wet, hot tears rolling down my cheeks dissolved the ice-cold, stone armour I had worn over the years. That innocent, little boy was starting to show through again, that boy who just wanted everything to be right in the world. And now that he was free, he wasn't going to be easily locked up again.

I wasn't sure how long I laid against the mats, letting the tears roll down my cheeks. I knew that if my father saw me crying right now, he would use that as an excuse to humiliate me to no end. I couldn't care less though. It wouldn't matter if he had something else to humiliate me for. I was already a failure in his eyes and nothing could ever change that fact.

My phone vibrated again. Suddenly, it started vibrating non-stop, like it was receiving text after text. I forced myself to sit up. I wiped away the last of my tears and walked over to the gym speakers, where my phone was still plugged in. I turned on my phone, to find text after text from Tanner. I scrolled through my notifications and found that the earlier text was from Mikhail. I clicked on it to read it.

" _lyosha, I saw ur father with a smug expression on his face. Did he do smthng 2 u in the gym? He abruptly left our meeting, saying he had smthng 2 attend 2. Pls let me know if ur ok._ " There was a second text from Mikhail, that had just been sent a few seconds ago.

" _lyosha_ , _where r u? is everything ok? I understand if u need 2 be alone but I just ran into Tanner and Jordan outside the embassy. Theyre looking 4 u and theyre worried sick._ " Mikhail's texts filled my heart with longing, making me realize just how much he cared about me. He was always there for me so I didn't have to deal with my father alone. Next, I read through all the texts from Tanner.

" _bro where r u? J and I just ran into Mikhail and he said he couldnt find u._ "

" _u ok? Pls answer_ "

" _whats going on? Y arent u answering ur phone?_ "

" _bro pls reply. Ur scaring J and I. what happened?_ "

" _alexei wtf is going on? U okay man?_ " That one was from Jordan. As much as Tanner and Jordan liked to poke fun at me, they really did care about me. It was sometimes hard to see that, among all the jokes they threw at me, but the trust and deep friendship was there. I was so lucky to have friends like Tanner and Jordan, that, at times, I almost felt like I didn't deserve their friendship.

My phone vibrated with yet another text. I expected it to be from Tanner, Jordan, or Mikhail but it was from Megan. I clicked on it, curious as to why she would be texting me.

" _hey alexei, I just went 2 see grace with noah and rosie and she refuses 2 talk 2 us. Can u try talking 2 her? We just want 2 make sure shes ok_." As soon as I read Megan's text, I acted, without thinking. I grabbed my phone and water bottle. I walked out of the gym and headed up the back stairwell of the embassy. Once outside, I sprinted to the wall that separated the Russian and American embassies. I quickly peeked into the back quad of the American embassy and found it mercifully clear. I bolted across the back quad, not caring if I got caught by any passing security guards. I made it in record time, still running off my inner storm of emotions. Once inside, I took the stairs in the back stairwell two at a time.

When I reached the third floor, I turned the corner and started heading towards Grace's room. It was oddly quiet, which was kind of unsettling. It almost made me feel like I wasn't supposed to be here. However, I had to check on Grace. At least one of us deserved to feel okay.

I suddenly heard a creaking sound. I turned around to find the large, stately doors of the ambassador's office opening.

"Mr. Volkov, what a lovely surprise. Fancy seeing you here again." I saw Ms. Chancellor walking out of the ambassador's office. A smile was plastered on her face but I could have sworn I saw an evil gleam in her eyes. "What brings you to the American embassy today?" I couldn't look away from her eyes, no matter how hard I tried. It was like her eyes had a magnetic pull, forcing me to stare into them and get sucked into their devilish glints.

"I-I came to check on Grace," I admitted. "Megan just texted to say that Grace wasn't feeling well."

"Grace has been doing just fine," Ms. Chancellor said smoothly. Her tone of voice was completely off though. "She's a little shaken at the moment but she'll be perfectly alright." She reminded me of a predator attacking their prey. I was sure I had fallen into her trap. Now, I was just waiting for the fatal blow.

However, I soon realized that getting busted by Ms. Chancellor for being in the American embassy wasn't the worst thing that could happen to me. Two other figures walked out of the ambassador's office, chatting animatedly. When they turned towards me, I nearly balked, realizing who they were.

"Good afternoon, Mr. Volkov," Ambassador Vincent said. Although he sounded friendly, the look on his face was clear. I was not welcome here. I merely nodded, unable to say anything.

"Alexei, I thought you would have been freshening up at the moment," my father said, taking in my less than perfect appearance. My shirt was soaked through with sweat and my hair was matted to my forehead. My eyes were puffy and red from crying and there were probably tear stains on my cheeks. On top of that, my hands were a bloody mess and I was sure that bruises were already starting to form on my arms and legs.

"Didn't you have plans with your friends this afternoon? Surely, you must have better places to be than the American embassy," my father continued. Although his tone of voice remained cordial and his face still had a pleasant expression, the look in his eyes was murderous. There was no doubt he had heard my brief exchange with Ms. Chancellor.

"I –" I started, before coming to my senses. "W-what are you doing here?"

"I was having a short meeting with Ambassador Vincent, to notify him of some changes that will be happening in the Russian embassy, among other things." My father gave me a look. I wondered if they had discussed Grace and I. I wouldn't be surprised if they had talked about the best ways to keep us apart.

"Changes?" This must have been the important embassy business that had been going on this morning.

"Yes. As you can imagine, Victor is getting old and is thinking of stepping down from his position as ambassador. The meeting this morning was to discuss potential candidates to take over his position. In the meantime, the remaining executive staff are getting a little break while things get sorted out at the embassy. I will be flying back to Moscow, to notify the Russian government of the changes happening in the embassy. You will be coming with me. The jet leaves in two hours."

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"Damn, bro, I'm gonna miss you so much!" Tanner exclaimed, as he hugged me. I released Tanner from the hug, only to get wrapped in a hug from Jordan.

"It's not going to be the same around here without you," Jordan said.

"Guys, I'm not leaving forever," I pointed out.

"You might as well be, considering we have no idea when you're coming back!" Tanner exclaimed. My father hadn't give me any indication of when we'd be returning to Adria, just that we were heading off to Moscow for the time being.

"Promise you'll keep in touch?" Jordan asked.

"Of course," I replied. Ever since the three of us had become close friends, we hung out or chatted online every day. Me going to Moscow was not going to change that.

"One last Snap selfie before you leave?" Tanner asked. I nodded. Normally, I didn't like group selfies. However, I figured I'd grant him this one because it'd be our last one for a while.

Tanner whipped out his phone and clicked into Snapchat. We gathered around, me in the middle, with Tanner and Jordan on either side of me. We put our arms around each other and grinned as Tanner snapped the pic. He quickly uploaded it to his Snapchat story, with the caption " _gonna miss you bro! have fun in Moscow!"_

"How much longer until you leave?" Jordan asked.

"Not long," I replied. "The jet's leaving in half an hour. My ride should be here any minute now." Tanner and Jordan both nodded. There was a thick tension in the air between the three of us. It stemmed from the dread of knowing that a good moment had to end and waiting for the inevitable end to come. In any case, I wasn't ready to go back to Moscow. Not yet anyways. Not when I had so many unresolved issues to deal with here in Adria.

A knock on my bedroom door got our attention.

"I'd hate to interrupt this little farewell party but the jet's all loaded up and ready to go," Mikhail said, stepping into my room. "Alexei, your father sent me to drive you to the airport."

"Thanks," I replied, nodding to Mikhail. I then turned to Tanner and Jordan. "Guess this is bye for now." I hugged both of them one last time then grabbed my backpack and duffel bag. I followed Mikhail out to the front of the embassy, where a car was waiting. I threw my backpack and duffel bag into the trunk of the car then got settled into the passenger seat. The short ride to the airport was quiet. I was glad that Mikhail never forced me to talk.

When we pulled up to the airport, Mikhail grabbed my backpack and duffel bag from the trunk for me. However, he didn't get back into the car.

"Everything alright, Lyosha?" Mikhail asked me quietly. He glanced down at my hands, where there were numerous cuts in various stages of healing.

"Yes, I'm fine," I replied automatically. Mikhail gave me a slightly disapproving look. He obviously knew that I wasn't fine but thankfully, didn't try to push the subject.

"Did your father do this to you?" Mikhail reached out to gently trace one of the cuts on my hand.

"No, I did this to myself," I replied emotionlessly. Mikhail looked at me sadly but didn't say anything. However, his silence encouraged me to keep talking.

"My father came to the gym when I was working out earlier, to check on my progress. I exceeded his expectations in everything. I even pinned him down in sparring. I think it was only because he kept taunting me with Grace." I looked down regretfully, ashamed to admit that. "He kept egging me on and I lost control of myself. After he left, I just kept on attacking the punching bag. I couldn't stop myself. It was only after I got your text that I finally stopped."

"Oh, Lyosha," Mikhail said, his voice full of pain and concern. He pulled me in for a hug, holding me close, just like my mother used to. I never wanted to let go, grateful that Mikhail cared so much about me. After a moment, I forced myself to let go, not wanting to keep my father waiting.

"Well, I guess this is goodbye then." Mikhail looked at me sadly. "I wish I could accompany you and your father to Moscow but I've got to stay in Adria."

"I understand." I grabbed my backpack and duffel bag.

"Promise me that you'll take care of yourself, alright?" Mikhail pulled me in for another hug. "Text me when you get to Moscow." I nodded then pulled away from the hug. As I walked into the airport, Mikhail waved to me, a sad smile on his face. I waved back, trying to keep my heart from breaking. In leaving Adria, I was leaving everyone who was on my side, leaving me to face the world alone.

I checked in then I was ushered over to the security check for embassy members. After making it through security, I was walked over to the private jet reserved for the Russian embassy. Once I was on the runway, I made my way up the stairs into the jet. I walked in to find my father settled into his seat, a pre-flight cocktail in hand. That was probably going to be his first of many cocktails this flight.

"You're here," my father said, eyeing me suspiciously. "Do I need to remind you to stay out of trouble while we're in Moscow?"

"No, father. I will be on my best behaviour," I replied.

"Good. I have many important meetings to attend there and the last thing I need is to deal with your trouble on top of that. Understood?"

"Yes, father." I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. I didn't see myself as trouble-making. I studied, stayed out of fights, and minded my own business. I didn't drink, do drugs, or party heavily. Yet, everything had changed when Grace arrived and apparently, that was more than enough to tarnish my father's opinion of me.

"One last thing. The little stunt that you pulled last night, coming home with a couple of Secret Service Agents and going through a questioning, was not acceptable and certainly unlike you. I hope we will not have a repeat performance of that. I do not need you to have another run-in with law enforcement, in addition to everything you have already done this summer. Is that clear?"

"Yes, father."

"Good. Now that we have cleared that up, we can finally be on our way." He sent a quick text to the pilot, letting him know we were ready to go. I settled into a seat as far away from my father as possible. Soon, the jet fired up, its engines whirring. I put in my earbuds and clicked on an upbeat EDM playlist, hoping it would cheer me up. As I scrolled through my phone, I suddenly noticed one new voicemail message from an unknown number. Curious, I clicked on it, wondering who it could be from.

"Hi, Alexei, John White calling from the research lab at the Valancia General Hospital. Sorry it took so long to get back to you about the summer research assistant position. We got many more CV's than expected and it took the hiring team a while to look through all of them. We've decided we'd like to have you come in for an interview, although personally, I was pretty sure you were going to get an interview as soon as I met you. Anyways, let us know when you can come in over the next few days for an interview! Thanks!" Shit, I had completely forgotten about that. With all the drama that had happened over the past week, summer jobs had been the last thing on my mind. I couldn't believe I had actually been chosen for an interview for my dream summer job. However, the timing couldn't have been worse, as I was currently on a plane to Moscow, with no plans to return to Adria for the time being. I stared down at my phone, absolutely gutted.

The jet started rolling down the runway. I stared out the window, watching as the jet rose into the air. Down below me, the embassies and buildings of Valancia turned into tiny dots, reminding me of everything that I was leaving behind. My friends. My dream summer job. Grace.

As the jet soared away from Valancia, a sinking feeling hit me hard, settling right in the bottom of my stomach. This was the beginning of the end, the end of everything that could have been but never would be.

* * *

 **And that's a wrap on Falling for You! Thank you so, so much to anyone who's read/ reviewed/ supported this story, whether you were there from the start (when I started posting this last year) or if you've only just started reading! It's been amazing getting to interact with every single one of you.**

 **Now, you're probably all wondering about the other books in the series. I am definitely planning on posting See How They Run and Take the Key and Lock Her Up in Alexei's POV. I'm more than halfway through writing the first draft of See How They Run in Alexei's POV. However, I don't think I'm at a place where I can start posting it anytime soon. For the next several months, school will have to take priority. And it's even more important, now that I'm in my first year of medical school, where there's so much studying and extracurricular activities.**

 **I have a 2 week break at the end of December, a 1 week break in the middle of March, and a 3-month summer break from the start of June to the end of August. I really hope I can use those 3 weeks of breaks throughout the school year to finish writing the rest of See How They Run in Alexei's POV and get to a position where I would be able to start posting it, ideally in early June, if not, then sometime in August. If I'm able to get the first few chapters (which will take place in Moscow!) written and well-edited during my December break, then maybe I'd be able to start posting See How They Run in Alexei's POV in the middle of March, although there'd probably be month-long waits between chapters. But for now, I'm thinking I probably won't start posting See How They Run in Alexei's POV until June 2019 at the earliest.**

 **If you have any questions about anything (like my progress on See How They Run in Alexei's POV, medical school, uni, story ideas etc.), you can feel free to message me on here (the desktop site or the app, though I probably wouldn't check either that often), Twitter (not too sure how often I'd check that), or Instagram (as of now, I'd probably be most likely to check that). If you leave a review on Falling for You, I may periodically go through and reply to them (through the author's note at the start of this chapter). Not sure how likely I'd be to commit to that though. I may occasionally post bits on Instagram or Twitter and will keep those updated once I have a better idea of when I would start posting See How They Run in Alexei's POV.**

 **Also, would anyone be interested in seeing a playlist of songs that inspired some of the chapters in Falling for You? If so, I'd probably post it as another chapter on Falling for You or on Instagram. Let me know what you think!**

 **Well, looks like this is the end of an extremely long author's note. I guess this is bye for now. Thank you so much for all the love and support. I'll see you guys sometime next year, with See How They Run in Alexei's POV! :)**


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